Happy Holidays
by MadameJelly
Summary: Light is forced to participate in ridiculous holidays every day of December with L. He knows that the detective's always looking for more clues, but...the holidays draw the two together. LxLight
1. Eat a Red Apple

**Rated T for:** some language, violence

**Notes:** Due to my recent discovery of Death Note, I have become more than mildly obsessed. I fell in love with the pairing of LxLight, so be warned that this will be a yaoi fic. However, the concept and style of the fic is different from what I've done. For **each day of December** there will be a new chapter as the characters will be participating in (often silly) holidays. Because of this frequent updating, chapter lengths will vary a lot. However, with 31 days in the month of December, it'll have enough time to move along nicely. So, December 2 will actually be posted on December 2, for instance. It's going to be a wild ride. So be sure to check in each night for their day-to-day adventures.

**Side Notes: **XD Oh, and **all of these holidays actually exist.** You'll see what I mean. I'll also spell L's alias with two u's (Ryuuzaki). I've seen variations (Ryuzaki), but I'm fond the former. Hopefully, it won't be a distraction.

**Time it takes place:** Right after Light regains his Death Note memories.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

November 30

* * *

Even though it was still November, it was almost painfully apparent to everyone that the winter season was fast approaching. Low temperatures and plenty of rainclouds had meant one thing: lots. And lots. Of snow. So much, in fact, that transportation had been becoming an issue within the massive city. Tokyo had dispatched plenty of teams to plow snow and remove ice, yes, but nature wasn't about to let up on them. Not only did the elements hinder transportation, but people didn't seem to dare go outside. After all, it was freezing cold every day of the week.

And, the strangest thing to reach everyone's ears was the fact that Kira had mysteriously slowed to a stop on his killings.

Speculation was abound.

L spun around in his office chair, turning to face all of the room's occupants. Sure enough, they still worked diligently despite the lack of action on Kira's part. They didn't pay his movement that much mind. Eyes were glued to computer screens, newspapers, televisions, trying to make sense of it all. He glanced briefly at a certain Light Yagami. He was just as focused as the rest.

These men from the police force had worked ceaselessly since they had allied with him. Certainly, it was a good thing for the progression of the case. However, their daily efforts were becoming apparent. Often times they stayed within the building with L, constantly researching and analyzing information. L frowned slightly. They were beginning to become like him, but just slightly. The men hadn't been out in the sun as much; their skin had lost some color. Then, their eyes weren't quite as bright as he remembered them. Computer work had done their vision in. Yes, his plan was justified with these observations.

"Hey. I have something important," L stated plainly. He reached back to scratch his head a bit as the others tore themselves away from the objects of their scrutiny.

Chief Yagami was the first to speak. "Have you gathered more information on Kira?" All eyes were glued to L.

Unbothered, L's hand returned to rest on his knee. "Well…" he began slowly, "I suppose. I have some theories as to why Kira has steadily decreased in his killings, but that is not the centerpiece of my announcement. I want you to listen carefully and to not make any comments until I've finished. It's only polite, you know."

L spun around briefly, snatching a small cookie. He took a nibble on it, his owl-like eyes staring back into theirs. Light did not let any movements betray him. Matsuda's fingers twitched in anxiety.

"It's the end of November, as I'm sure you've all noticed, and the weather has been horrid. We are not making much headway at the time being, though in time this will change. Likely, after this bout of weather. Therefore, I will place you all on vacation for the entire month of December. There are no negotiations on this matter."

"That's insane!" Light shouted, rising to his feet. "You expect to let him do as he pleases for a month without our observations?"

"I have not finished." L's tone had risen, but just slightly. Light frowned, but sat back down in his chair. L's black eyes remained on his figure as he continued. "Like I said, I will observe Kira for the time being by myself. However, there are some terms about this vacation month which everyone must agree to. Even though it will provide relaxation and rest, you must abide by each day's holiday. I will be paying close attention to those who choose not to."

All of the men shifted in some way. Their eyebrows were furrowed, wanting desperately to be able to make some kind of input. L finished off his cookie and swallowed. One last sweep over their faces was made. Constant observation.

"That's all. I suggest you grab a calendar from the coffee table. I'll see you all tomorrow."

L got down from his chair and began shuffling back to his bedroom where he had his laptop patiently waiting, but a hand swiftly came to his shoulder. He turned slightly to take in the face of Light, who was clearly very cross indeed. L merely blinked.

"Yes?"

It seems that the chain had been temporarily forgotten. L inwardly sighed.

"If you're going to put us through this ridiculous charade, I assume that you'll be following along as well?" Light raised his chained hand in front of the both of them. Well, he hadn't thought much of this, but…

"Very well. I'm going to my room now, Light-kun. Bring whatever you need."

And so began L's month-long remedy to finding – or rather, proving absolutely the identity of – the true Kira. A small smile played upon his lips.

* * *

December 1 **  
Eat a Red Apple Day  
**

**

* * *

**

Poke.

Light frowned in his sleep. He didn't want to be roused into the land of consciousness. The bed was particularly soft, and L never bothered to sleep much, and certainly not in a bed…

Poke.

An annoyed mumble came from his lips. In an attempt to hide, he brought some of the sheets over his face. Logic clearly didn't rule in sleepy-land, as this didn't deter the poker.

_Poke._

That one really lingered in his side, and it was _hard_. Light's eyes opened just a fraction, trying to take in his surroundings. Thank the heavens, all the lights weren't on to blind him. A blurry, dark-haired figure was crouched over beside him on the edge of the bed. Their hand, pale and almost glowing in the darkness, ever so slowly started to reach out, only inches from his side and-

"Stoppit," Light mumbled, more coherent this time.

"Ah, it seems my methods have worked. Good morning, Light-kun." He moved closer, staring at him with those wide eyes. "You know, it's the first of December. We have to get started."

Light rolled over, his back to the detective.

"It seems you leave me with no choice, Light-kun."

Wait a minute. The logical part of his mind, though it had to fight to get there, was now in firm control. If he didn't comply with the man's wishes, he would resort to other methods, or…

Light had little time to contemplate his next actions, as he soon found himself in bed with a large coffee mug of icy-cold water poured upon his head. Needless to say, he was fairly awake at this point but less than happy. He sat up in the bed at once, hair dripping with the rage of a non-morning person. L wondered briefly if he had made a good decision.

Wordlessly and stiffly Light got out from the bed and started toward the bathroom. L was forced to follow, to a certain degree. The teen quickly dried off his hair and face, then started off to the kitchen. L remained silent and followed. They were both greeted by two astoundingly large red apples sitting on the kitchen table. Light paused to look at them.

"Ah, yes. I had Watari acquire those for us. Today's holiday is _Eat a Red Apple Day_, you know."

"Oh?"

"Yes. You can eat yours whenever you'd like. I hear these are particularly juicy and crisp, so I'd like to ask you not to eat mine. I'm saving it for later, since I already had some cake…"

Damn him. He was still going to try to get more evidence on him, no matter what the circumstances. Light was fully aware of a particular clue he had left the detective in the beginning, regarding the eating habits of Shinigami. He was going to have to keep Ryuk from eating L's apple, for L would accuse the Death God of eating it, or worse…he could very well witness Ryuk eating the apple.

As far as L knew, he had no knowledge of being Kira. They had retrieved his notebook only days before, and yet…

"Ryuuzaki?"

L turned his head around, having been rummaging around for a certain kind of tea in one of the cabinets. He was on the tips of his toes, struggling to reach one on the very highest shelf. After a short moment of groping the air without result, he managed to snatch the box and face Light fully.

"Yes, Light-kun?"

Light leaned on one of the kitchen counters. "Why exactly are we still chained to each other?"

L opened his box of tea, pulling out a couple of bags. "Just one more month, I assure you. I want to be completely certain when the chain is removed. My apologies."

Light sighed. So, this month was another one of his ploys? Well, he would beat him at this game. By the end of the month, L would have not a valid reason in the world to think that he could be Kira. These holidays would assure that.

Turning on the stove, L began to heat water for his tea. He placed the teabags within the water at once, and as the liquid heated a distinct smell began to fill the room. Apples and cinnamon. He began readying his bowl of sugar cubes.

Ryuk didn't take long to meander into to the room. Light didn't turn to look at him, but he knew he'd be salivating.

"Light…" the Shinigami said, almost pitifully, "you humans have apple flavored drinks? Can I have some – Oh! Look at those!"

That hadn't taken long. Light clenched his fists slightly. _Don't you dare…_

"What?" Ryuk inquired. "These are the largest, most succulent apples I've ever laid my eyes on! What do you mean I can't have any?"

L, quite oblivious, began rummaging around in other cabinets, seeming to pass the time.

_It's a ploy. He _wants _you to try and eat one so that he'll know you exist and follow me._ Light turned his head a bit to have the Shinigami in his line of vision.

"Hmph. Well, you owe me another apple like _that_," he paused to look longingly at the fruit, "later. This is too depressing…"

_Then leave for today._

"No, no, no. I'm staying. Though it may torture me…I do love the smell of that apple drink." Ryuk walked over to the steaming concoction and inhaled deeply. He was going to have to keep an eye on him for the entirety of the day. Or, at least until L finally ate his apple, whenever _that_ would be.

"Light-kun?"

Snapped from his thoughts, Light turned to look at the other man. "Yes, Ryuzaki?"

"I was wondering…would you possibly care for some apple cinnamon tea? I made plenty, and it would be appropriate for today." L began transferring the drink from the stove into his porcelain teapot.

"Yes, that would be fine…but, if I could add my own sugar." He shuddered at the thought of having the same amount L usually added. He'd not be able to eat anything remotely sweet for months.

"Okay then."

"Light…? Are you sure you're going to eat that apple?" Ryuk suddenly inquired.

Wordlessly, Light grabbed the gigantic fruit and took a bite into it. It made a satisfying crunching sound. He wasn't one for sweet things, but this was fairly good. If he ate the whole thing, he surely wouldn't need to look around for some breakfast.

Yes, victory would be sweet.


	2. Fritters

As always, reviews are lovely. A shortish prompt today and the two are still going at it, but for how much longer? Stick around and we'll see. :)

**Note:** A fritter, if you didn't know, is any kind of food that is covered in batter and deep-fried.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 2 **  
National Fritters Day**

**

* * *

**

"Come on, Light-kun. I'm hungry." The dark-haired man tugged at the chain.

Light swore under his breath, still trying to button-up his shirt. If he was going to go out someplace, he was going to be dressed nicely, at the very least. L could wear whatever he pleased and have his hair as wild as possible. Had that man even heard of a comb?

He had scarcely two minutes before L had really become forceful. By the time they had reached the elevator, however, he gave up. There was no way he'd manage to get L back to the bedroom so he could get a jacket. Maybe that was L's plan all along…freezing him to death. Come to think of it, was L wearing anything to keep him warm?

As they made their way to the limousine, L suddenly stopped. Confused, Light looked back. He was shivering madly and…had no coat on. Of course. He could even hear his teeth begin to chatter.

"Ryuuzaki?"

"Um…i-it se-eems…I forgot a, ah, coat-t," he said between shivers.

"Then maybe you should go back to-"

Frowning at the even mention of it, L immediately grabbed Light's arm and rocketed toward the limousine. The chain, now removed for the outing, wouldn't be there to help him control the younger man. The door had already been opened by Watari and was jumped through with such speed that Light feared they'd end up hitting the other side of the vehicle and crack their skulls open. Luckily, they hit a mound of soft blankets. He looked up, spotting him at once.

"Ahhhh. Better." L had already snuggled into a soft blanket covered in little yellow stars. All that was visible were his half-closed eyes and nose.

Light sighed, reluctantly grabbing for a blanket covered in polka dots. After all, he wouldn't stoop so low as to choose the one with pink kittens and hearts. Well…not until he got cold enough. Maybe.

* * *

As soon as they'd gotten a table, L had taken off his shoes. No, they weren't even really shoes. They were those flimsy flip-flops that had a fine layer of dust from disuse. The detective began brushing bits of ice out of his hair. The two men sat in a booth tucked away in a corner, chosen by Ryuuzaki. Ever vigilant, his eyes swept over the restaurant from where they sat. Light sighed.

"Is it really all that necessary?"

Blinking, L turned his head to face him. "But of course. The day I stop observing is the day that I'll die. See those two women sitting over there? In the red dress and in a grey suit?" He tilted his head in their general direction.

"Yes, yes. What about them? They're talking and drinking wine."

L shifted slightly, seeming to make himself more comfortable. "Oh, they're doing a drug deal. Perhaps cocaine. They moved the item very swiftly, so I can't make definite deductions currently."

Light furrowed his eyebrows, turning to look at the pair with his peripherals once more. If L had managed to catch sight of a single slide of the hand in such a crowded, chatty restaurant…

"Really, I'm surprised you're not as observant, Light-kun," he said nonchalantly. The man's pale hands started to toy with a sugar packet. "I do hope our waitress or waiter arrives soon…I can't properly consume this without any tea."

"How are you working on the case if we're always doing these holidays, Ryuuzaki?" Surely, the man was waiting for him to slip up, just once… Just like the two women seated a ways away, he felt a twinge of anxiety about those large, dark eyes.

"Oh, you know. On and off."

Before Light could get a word in, a waitress stepped over to their table, note pad at the ready. Her eyes flickered to him first, the menu was going to pass from her hand to his, and –

"Excuse me, miss." L said out of the blue. "Could I tell you our order right now? It's a birthday surprise for my friend here, you see."

That son of a –

"Ohhh," she said in realization. A small smile came to her face as she leaned over to L. He whispered something discreetly in her ear, Light fuming the whole time. Light Yagami…did not…enjoy surprises. Especially birthday ones (today wasn't even his birthday, for Christ's sake). It was an invitation to be humiliated! Oh, L was definitely just trying to torture him…

"I'll be right back with your drinks, sirs!" With that, the women bounded off to the kitchen. Light continued to glare.

L looked back with innocence. "It's your own fault that you never check the calendar, else you would be fully aware of what we're getting."

This was going to be a long…long December.

* * *

Light stared at his plate in horror. Nowhere else could have the detective chosen something so vile, so _disgusting_…

"Light-kun? Are you going to eat your tempura or not? It would be a shame to waste it."

After L had drank perhaps upwards of a dozen cups of tea with incomprehensible amounts of sugar in each cup, they had finally brought out his torment. Deep-fried food. He shuddered in revulsion. But, that man just continued to stare with that sincere look on his face.

"What, pray tell, was _today's_ holiday, Ryuuzaki?" he said lowly.

L brought his thumb to his lip. "Hmm…Fritters. Yes, that's it. Tempura was the closest thing to fritters around, so…"

"And why is it that you didn't order this?" He'd have to calm himself somehow… Light wanted L to have no reason to still think he was Kira. Not a reason in the world.

At that point, L began to stare at Light's tempura. It was more than a look of contemplation, oh yes. It was as if he thought some supreme being would sprout forth and give him an answer. Light began rapping his fingers on the wood of the table.

Then, quick as a rabbit, L's chopsticks pulled off a piece of tempura and popped it in his mouth. Frowning at the taste, he downed his cup of tea and went back to work at his ice cream sundae. Light stared down at the fried mass of "food" with a grimace on his face.

* * *

For the next three hours, Light would spend the majority of his evening in the bathroom retching into a toilet. Oh, at this moment he wanted that damned detective dead more than ever before. A cold, moist towel was brought to his forehead.

"Well, Light-kun, there's no need to worry," he said, sopping up the other man's sweat. "We don't have to eat fried food again until the twenty-first."

Light let out a groan and resumed giving his offerings to the toilet.


	3. Roof Over Your Head

This is the shortest they'll get, methinks. Tomorrow's will certainly make up for it, though (some action, at last!). I don't particularly like doing super-short prompts, so these will be few and far between. As always, I love reviewers.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 3**  
Roof-Over-Your-Head Day  
**

**

* * *

**

If Light had thought the previous day had been cold…he was very sadly mistaken. Now, he was sitting upon the roof of the impossibly tall building the task force headquarters had been lodged in. Incredibly low temperatures and the height of the building made a very cold Light. He'd thrown on a coat, yes, but nothing like what Ryuuzaki was wearing. Well, not that he wore a coat exactly. It was more of a conglomeration of blankets, quilts, and the like. His face poked out, every other inch of skin securely kept from the freezing cold. Oh, how he hated him now…

L looked over to him curiously, seated upon a concrete bench. He noticed the younger man's hardly concealed rage.

"Is something the matter, Light-kun?"

That little shred of notebook paper was just _dying_ to be used. _Oh, I made a funny…_

"Yes. There is." Five minutes…and he'd be able to make chop sticks out of his nose drippings. That seemed about right.

L blinked. "Yes…?"

Stiffly Light walked over, numbness having already taken some effect in his limbs. And lord, was that chain colder than ever! How did women wear so much jewelry in the winter?

"Recently, I acquainted myself with that calendar of various holidays in order to prepare myself for each one."

"Oh, did you? That's good."

"And, if I'm not mistaken, today was supposed to be _Roof-Over-Your-Head Day_, yes?"

"That's right."

"Then, could you possibly tell me…" Pause. "WHY WE'RE FREEZING TO DEATH ON _TOP_ OF THIS FUCKING ROOF?"

L wagged his gloved finger from side to side. "Shush. You're not grasping the true meaning of this holiday, Light-kun."

It took every ounce of his self-control to not start ripping his own hair from his scalp, but Light stood absolutely still. "And…that would be what?"

L sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "I thought you were more astute… Oh well. I'll explain." L patted the spot beside him on the bench. "Come hither, you."

With a thud and a grimace Light abided to the detective's wishes. Clearing his throat, L began to speak once more. Reluctantly, Light brought his gaze back to him in hopes of receiving some logic…_any_ logic, really.

"I thought to myself, _'Oh, L. What good could we do, appreciating our roof by going about inside the building as we normally do? It would be like any other day. Perhaps by going up to spend some time with the roof itself, we could better appreciate what it does for us. And, given it has feelings, it wouldn't be so lonely anymore.'_" L licked his chapped lips. "The end."

Slowly, he turned his gaze back to Light. And with that gaze…the chances of Light being Kira went up by, say, five percent. Swallowing, L stood back up and shuffled back to the elevator doors.

"Okay. That's enough appreciating. Let's go back inside."

He did value his life, to a degree.


	4. Wear Brown Shoes

Man, what I had to do to get to an internet connection today... Anyway, here we are with another day in the life of L and Light. It's intense. Yup. I love my frequent reviewers, but I like new "faces," too. :D

Oh, and might I say...I'm always inserting little tidbits here and there in each holiday. Whether they be devices of foreshadowing, allusions, important imagery, or what have you. As a certain ninja would say, "look underneath the underneath." It's all fun and games, yes...but look carefully, yes? I have lots in store for you guys. ;)

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 4 **  
Wear Brown Shoes Day**

* * *

"Light. Stay. Away."

Those were the first three words Light heard from L that morning. At the time, he was barely conscious. But, he could pick up the tone the detective was trying to convey. It was that sort of tone reserved for special occasions, like when there would be but one open seat or the bus or you'd end up by that one questionable kid who ate glue in his free time while reciting obscure Star Trek quotes. Or when the jello would start to jiggle and you just knew that tyrannosaurus was on its way to devour some sweet, sweet tourist flesh. Or, maybe he was still half-asleep and none of his theories had any grounds. It was possible.

"Wha-?"

L's finger came but an inch away from Light's nose, pointing directly to it. Light's eyes creaked open, trying to focus on the strange object before them. Unfortunately, he only succeeded in becoming cross-eyed. How attractive.

"You know what I'm talking about! There is no way I am going to take part in this!"

Light languidly brushed the offending digit aside and propped himself up. "Ryuuzaki, I would make an appropriate response if I even knew what you were talking about."

L's eyes narrowed, clearly not pleased with the response. He expected him to be a mind reader? Light sighed and rubbed an eye tiredly. Coffee would need to be acquired, and fast.

"Could you bring that calendar over here? I'm at a loss, I swear to you. I doubt I could recite my last name."

L shot another look before trudging off to where ever he had stored that calendar. He was back in a few moments, Light trying to brush through his bed-head ridden hair. After setting it down beside the younger man, he seemed to sit as far away as he possibly could…chain permitting. Light almost wanted to roll his eyes at the man's antics. This was a world-renowned detective? What the devil could make him so –

His finger stopped there, on the fourth of December. He quietly read the words aloud to himself, putting the pieces together as he did so.

"_Wear Brown Shoes Day_…?"

L shifted uncomfortably on the other side of the room.

Oh. So _that_ was it. Never had he ever during the entire investigation seen L wearing any kind of footwear other than his flip flops. If you could even call those proper shoes, really. Light nonchalantly shifted his gaze to the detective. Those owl eyes were filled with a fiery determination that meant he had to have been brooding on this for hours. Briefly, Light wondered how many ways of him being killed L could have thought of in that time. Was he up for the challenge?

"I'm going to start to get ready. Is there any hot coffee out?"

Glare.

Light raised an eyebrow. "Right." Calmly he slid off of the bed and walked over to the closet, grabbing for one of his stay-at-home shirts and some jeans. Inwardly, he was planning for the all-out war that was soon to erupt. He had to wear something cheap, functioning, and expendable. He absolutely could not let the detective see any of his plans play across his face. His time being Kira had given him more than enough experience, but now he would be –

"Light, you're taking this fairly seriously," Ryuk commented, his interest a bit piqued.

_I have to play along, Ryuk. He mustn't have any reason to doubt me this month, despite the…_ridiculousness_ of it all._

"Oh?" The Shinigami turned his gaze to the human sitting on the floor, shooting intense looks at Light.

_Yes. He's constantly making observations, perhaps even more so than ever. Misa is making sure the killings are to continue in due time, but…_

"Ah. In any case, today looks as though it will be…interesting."

Once fully clothed, there was but one detail to attend to: his choice of shoes. Light began to rummage around in what footwear he had brought in the bottom of the closet. Sure enough, tucked away in the back were two pairs of brown shoes. One wouldn't look half bad with what he was currently dressed in. They were simple tennis shoes, those American Converses. The other, though… Oh, how absolutely _peeved_ L would certainly be. The other pair were dress shoes, and particularly horrid ones at that, which his mother had purchased for him recently. He'd eventually make it a crime to procure such…abominations. Now, the question was how he would get them on the man.

Once again, very casually, he pulled on socks and began to pull on his Converses, lacing them up. L sat as still as a stone gargoyle, eyes watching each move of Light's hands. He would not let the slightest twitch go under his radar, not today.

Then, much to L's surprise, Light pulled out his cell phone. Both of his shoes were quite securely on his feet, but he continued to sit on the floor and text away to someone. L fought the urge to pout. From this vantage point, he couldn't tell who he was making contact with. He could guess at the words, judging from the movements of his thumbs, but…

Wordlessly, Light shut the phone and slid it back into his pocket. Seconds later a deafening pounding came at the entry door of their floor. L's head snapped to face the sound almost at once due to his startled state. It had been so quiet, and then _this_. It was all but too late when he finally realized the error of his ways. Just as Misa's high voice began to travel through the cracks of the door, he was pinned to the ground by a certain young Yagami.

"_You_…" L hissed.

"Yes, Ryuuzaki?" A mocking smile played on his lips. "I do recall that you said we _both_ are to partake in each and _every_ holiday specified by that calendar this month. Is this true?"

L's eyes flashed to one of Light's hands, as he'd felt a foreign object within them. Sure enough, held securely was a pair of horrendous brown shoes. It almost made him want to gag. Perhaps if he did get sick on Light…

"Therefore, I'll be assisting you with today's task. I'm certain these will fit quite nicely on you."

Then, faster than Light would have ever thought, L brought a strong leg to his chest and kicked him off into the air. The wind was knocked out of his lungs, though his body somehow (thankfully) landed on the plush bed. A few gasps sounded in the air before Light propped himself back up and searched the room for the detective's form. At the open door, in a readied stance, was L. Misa, as persistent as ever, still pounded on the door. Perhaps if he managed to get one shoe on, he'd call it a day.

"I'll have you know, Light-kun," L said, strangely calm, "I've studied three different types of martial arts. Your chances of getting those things on my feet are a scant two percent."

Ryuk chuckled to himself somewhere. He was enjoying seeing him getting pummeled, was he? There would certainly be no apples on his shopping list for December, in that case.

Light pushed himself off of the bed and back onto his feet. The brown shoes had landed close-by and he picked them back up, facing L.

"I assure you, you _will _be wearing brown shoes by the end of this day, Ryuuzaki."

"I look forward to thoroughly kicking you ass, then."

* * *

The chain had certainly not allowed more…secretive, sneaky approaches regarding his task. When L ever wanted to keep tabs on him (which was all of the time), he just needed to follow that blasted chain. Somehow, though, the entire day was in a way refreshing. They'd both been aware of the constant tension because of the Kira case, and this was almost an outlet for those frustrations. When else could he safely land a punch without being stopped by the entire task force? Oh, and Ryuk seemed to enjoy every moment of it, of course.

Hours went by. The sun had left from the center of the sky and it began to descend again, both men getting more and more weary. L fought to flinch from any movement Light made, since each moment it was as though he was being attacked again. Shakily he brought a teacup to his lips, allowing some piping hot raspberry tea to travel to his stomach. He wasn't about to drink those relaxing bedtime teas and have his senses dulled.

"Listen, Ryuuzaki."

L nearly choked to death on a sip of the tea. A brief moment of hacking allowed him to avoid such a catastrophe. He scowled at Light.

The other man sighed. "Look, I'm at my limit now. I've got more bruises now than I've had birthdays and I'm done. You win. Happy?"

"I find it hard to believe that you are giving in so easily, Light-kun." He took a sip.

Light crossed his arms. "Fine. If you won't believe me, take the damn shoes. I'm not going to try and put them on your feet anymore." He snatched them up off of the floor and set them beside the detective.

The older man only continued drinking his tea.

"Will you at least acknowledge my surrender? You're acting like a child!"

Something like a snort came from the raven-haired man. The teacup, now empty, sat alone on a table beside him. L glared at the shoes, glancing briefly at Light's feet. None of his muscles twitched, not even slightly. Then very, very carefully, L stuck a hand inside of the shoe to better examine it _and_ take it away from his tormentor. Still, Light made no move to do anything. It was increasingly peculiar…

It was then that a dark laugh bubbled from the lips of Light. He threw his head back, cackling madly. L stood and backed away at once, going over the day's events and statements in his head at a rapid pace in his mind, but none of it amounted to –

Light calmed himself, but just enough to speak. "Oh, Ryuuzaki. It seems you haven't even realized that I've won."

A heavy feeling entered the bottom of his stomach. Won? As in…

He muffled another cackle. "Look at your hand, will you?"

There was a brown shoe. On his hand. He was wearing…a brown shoe?

It was then that Light received a roundhouse kick to the face. He would not wake until the next morning.


	5. Sacher Torte

This one made me hungry. D:  
And so it continues as L forces Light to eat stuff he'd rather not.  
The reviews are lovely. Keep 'em coming! :)

I don't own Death Note.

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December 5**  
Sacher Torte Day**

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Light felt like he had been run over by a train. A train carrying a surplus of elephants, blue whales, and brontosauruses, to be exact. His head was pounding and his everything ached. And, to no surprise, he felt a pair of eyes watching him from the moment he gained consciousness. He groaned at the bombardment of sensations, pulling the covers over his head. Something told him that he should be very, very angry with a certain detective. That sounded about right.

Poke.

Oh god, not _that_ again.

L must've gotten incredibly close, because he could hear the man's breath just on the other side of the comforter. He spoke very softly, so much so in fact that Light nearly had to strain to hear him.

"Hey, Light-kun… It just came in a few minutes ago." Weight was added to one side of the bed, L having apparently hopped up. He was probably looming over his face. What was _it_, anyway? "I really want to open it. Could you wake up, please?"

Light issued some sleepy, grumbling sounds. L became displeased at this.

He was almost pleading, strangely enough. "I don't want it to spoil… It had a really long trip, and it'll take forever for another to get here." L lightly shook Light's shoulder, the comforter having not hid it very well. He just recoiled from his touch and curled into a ball under those sheets.

The weight suddenly left the bed, as did L's breathing. A tremor of panic went through Light. He was up to something.

Seconds later, the sheets were pulled away from Light's face so that he could fully view the morning sun and all of its glory pouring through the windows. Light then proceeded to recite every colorful word he had learned in high school. When would it end?

"So be it, Light-kun," L said suddenly. "But we are getting to the kitchen, one way or another."

Light's half-open, dull eyes stared at the clean white plate on the table at which he found himself seated. There had been some kind of struggle (weak, on his part) and he'd ended up at the kitchen table. He rubbed his eyes, his headache grinding away at his brain. At least, it felt that way. He turned his head, managing to catch sight of the back of L. He seemed to work diligently at something, but he couldn't tell what. Could a porcelain plate substitute a pillow, perhaps? It certainly looked inviting…

L padded over to where Light sat and swiftly took up the object of the young man's fascination. Light frowned slightly, resting his head on his arms. His eyes slowly started to close, and even though the wooden table was terrible hard and cold he'd make due. Anything for a few more minutes.

And then, just as quickly as the plate had left, it returned beside Light's almost-sleeping form. He stared at what was on it for what seemed like a couple hours. L, however, responded only a second or so after putting it back down.

"There you go, Light. A most delicious breakfast if I do say so. That's your piece and…I'll have the rest." The detective took a seat across from Light, a short chocolate cake (with one piece missing) sitting before him. Licking his lips, he began to devour the sinful dessert.

Light sniffed the dessert lazily. "What's this?"

L swallowed a bite. "A sacher torte, of course. The best kinds are from Vienna, so-"

"You ordered a cake from Vienna?" Light sat up more, but relied on the back of his chair for support. "You do realize we're in Japan, right?"

"Correct."

"You can do that?"

"Given you have sufficient funds."

Light sighed. "I don't even _like_ chocolate…"

L's fork dropped against the table, making a bit of racket.

"The chance of you being Kira has risen one point five percent."

"Whatever. I'm not Kira."

"You could at least try some. They're known for being the best."

Grudgingly, Light took his fork. Chocolate fan or not, he _was_ hungry. He took a very small portion of his slice with it, examining the cake further. It did look rather moist and dark, which hopefully meant it wasn't unbearably sweet. Hopefully. Then, he brought the fork to his mouth and began to go to work at eating. To his surprise, he didn't feel like gagging or running to the bathroom. In fact…it was delicious. Some heavenly dessert fairly had entered this cake and made it…just _perfect_. Before he even knew it, his slice was gone. His stomach growled in protest, wanting more.

"Ryuuzaki, is there any more-"

Looking up, he found his answer. A chocolate-faced L stared back at him, smiling to himself. He usually wasn't one to make messes with his food, but he clearly went to town on that cake…and left no more for Light. Would now be a good moment to break down and cry for once?

"Ah, it seems that I won this round, Light-kun. And, let me tell you, victory is indeed very sweet."

Light stood from his seat, bringing his table napkin along with him. The smile from L's face dissipated slightly as his body became rigid, wary of an attack from Light. If that man was still sore about what happened the previous day, then he had something to worry about. Light's hand reached out and –

…wiped the chocolate off of L's face.

"You're a mess, you know."


	6. Gazpacho and Mitten Tree

Ah, now L gets a taste of his own medicine. As always, I've been loving the reviews for this fic. They keep me motivated to keep on chugging. Because, let me tell you, motivation is necessary for prompt lists such as these. Though I have to say this: tomorrow's will be intense. I got really into the 7th day. You'll see what I mean if you stick around. :)

Oh! Before I forget, some days (though not very often) will have a second holiday. In fact, one has more than two. I'm going off of a specific calendar that I found. In short, they just add more interesting variables that spice up the prompt.

I don't own Death Note

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December 6**  
Gazpacho Day and Mitten Tree Day  
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L's nose wrinkled in disgust at the bowl before him. Its vile aroma snaked up into his nose and it smelled absolutely horrid. This soup, if you could call it that, looked like something he would find in the toilet after he'd eaten far too many orange cupcakes and rice pudding. It wasn't even warm, like a soup should be. He detested tomatoes enough, but to drink them liquefied and freezing? Maybe if he feigned an illness, he'd be excused from tasting it. Or perhaps he'd bring up his "secret tomato allergy?" L continued to stare blankly into the unchanging gazpacho soup, desperately searching for any loophole, any at all, to get him out of having to consume the putrid goo before him. Oh, Light would eat the soup. And, he'd do it just to show him up, to challenge him. At that point, there would be no escape possible unless –

"Ryuuzaki?"

L blinked a few times. Was he being spoken to?

"Ryuuzaki, I don't think staring at the soup will make it go away." He could just hear the smug look in Light's voice.

Finally, he turned his gaze to the younger man. "It's vile."

Light began toying with his spoon, watching the detective in amusement. "That's simply your opinion. A very invalid one at that, seeing as though you haven't even tried it yet."

"No, it's the truth. It's positively sickening."

Light rolled his eyes. "Do elaborate."

With the bowl pushed far away from his body, L replied, "Well, truth is relative, as is rationality and knowledge. It could very well be a true concept to _me_, but not necessarily to you. Or, my cultural upbringing may have been greatly opposed to this goo, and there it was universally known as nasty. But really, _you_ can think that the soup is of culinary value. That is a truth to you, and a valid one. I think it came out of a horse's posterior, on the other hand. An equally valid truth. In short, though, the choice between competing theories is arbitrary, since there is no such thing as objective truth."

"…I shouldn't have asked." _Where the hell did _that _come from?_

"Do I still have to eat this soup?"

"Yes."

"But –"

A frown came upon Light's face and his arms moved to cross his chest. "Look, I have an idea. You want to proceed to holiday number two of today, correct?"

"Yes…" He eyed him with suspicion.

"Then we'll get this over as quickly and painlessly as possible. However, I need your cooperation. Will you cooperate, Ryuuzaki?"

"Are we still talking about soup?"

Light buried his face in his hands. He really wanted to wring that detective's neck right about now. "_Yes._ We are still talking about soup, you creep."

"Just checking, Light-kun." He yawned, his head resting on his knees.

"As I was saying…all we have to do is consume one spoonful at the same time. That includes swallowing it, too. If you honestly can't stomach that little of this, feel free to go to the bathroom. I'll let you go." He'd have to follow the detective as he went to hurl into the toilet because of the damned chain, but he would certain take advantage of its full length and stay far, far away.

The enormity of L's grimace was almost comical. "I really have to eat it?" he inquired softly.

Light brought his spoon into the orange liquid at last and lifted it to his lips. He sent a pointed glare to L, who simply narrowed his eyes in response. Very gingerly the detective picked up his own spoon with his pale fingers, dipping it into the gazpacho. A drop or so fell back down and he watched each, as if trying to prolong the moment he had been dreading all day. Light rapped his fingers on the wooden table. Drawing in a breath, he finally brought it to his pursed lips.

"Good. Now, I'll count it down. Three…"

L hesitantly took a sniff of what he'd force down his gullet. It made him gag slightly.

"Two…"

Oh dear lord…he was about to eat it. This putrid vomit, this liquefied garbage, this horrid orange slime…

"One..."

L locked eyes with Light the moment the time ran out, searching for any sign that it was all a sham. But sure enough, he still held that determined gaze and he began to open his mouth to allow the tomato soup entrance. Swallowing hard, L began to do the same. Though…there was no chance that he'd lose to the young college student. He, the world's most renowned detective, would not be bested by such. Finally gathering his nerve, he consumed the spoonful before Light Yagami even got the chance. The whole scene happened in a mere second, a slight smirk pulling at L's lips. And then…he dropped his spoon as his eyes turned wide.

* * *

Paler than ever, L plopped down beside the tree in the sitting room. His stomach still churned and he had absolutely no inclination to be moving at any point. He needed something to settle himself, like maybe a nice cup of mint tea with, say…twelve sugar cubes. That sounded about right. Sadly, his stomach rolled in protest once more. Oh, how he hated Light. So, so very much…

Light finally made his way over, taking a look at the tree before addressing L. "You, of all people, would be stuck in the bathroom for that long after eating one spoonful of gazpacho."

L didn't bother to look at him. He mumbled back, "Let's move on, before I become business partners with Kira. Oh wait, that's –"

"I get the idea already. And again, I'm not Kira." Light had, in fact, not quite enjoyed the soup either. However, his stomach hadn't reacted nearly as violently as the detective's had. It was as if the man had morning sickness. Over on a couch sat several boxes, filled with various different mitten ornaments. Beside it was a box containing an impossible amount of candy. The gist of the second holiday they had to perform on the sixth involved decorating a Christmas tree with mittens (or so they'd assumed). L, thinking the mittens could serve a higher purpose, thought it would be suiting to fill them with sweets.

He sat down upon the ground opposite to the ill-looking man, setting the boxes between them. The detective's eyes seemed to brighten considerably at the sight of the candy.

They wordlessly set to work on their task, putting several pieces of sweets into each little mitten and setting it off to the side. L's were absolutely jam-packed, though, and Light doubted they'd stay hung on the branches of the tree at all. He'd always seem to favor the peppermints, chocolate Santas, and butterscotch pieces, never really going for anything else. Light didn't care all that much what he picked, but the detective's lips would always twitch downward just slightly and for a mere fraction of a second when he'd snatch up one of those specific candies before he got the chance. Therefore, he soon made a point to go for those ones specifically.

"Ryuuzaki, you're eating more candy than you put in the mittens."

"Well, your mother's a hamster."

"_What?"_


	7. Cotton Candy

As I began this one, I had my outline and I knew it'd be pretty jam-packed with stuff...but I never expected to make it_ this _long. XD It's not a bad thing, though. Another outing, but there are things in store for L and Light. Reviewers make my day. :)

I don't own Death Note.

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December 7**  
Cotton Candy Day**

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"Let's go to the circus, Light-kun."

At that very moment, Light had been in the process of drinking a particularly hot cup of coffee at the kitchen table. Upon hearing L's suggestion, he nearly choked to death upon the said coffee. Oh, and L didn't go out of his way to help, heavens no. He merely looked at Light while he flailed for a moment, looking slightly bored. Once he managed to get his body back under control, he shot a glare at the detective.

L rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry you still haven't mastered drinking. Anyway-"

"You could have at least tried to _look_ concerned! Shit, I could've died and you sat there and looked like an envelope without an address!"

"Nice retort."

"…excuse me?"

"I wasn't being sarcastic. It's not often people put thought into an insult. I'm touched."

The detective opened up a box of chocolate covered cherries, popping a few into his mouth. Light could merely hold his head in his hands. He'd wait for him to take his sweet time with his candies. What had started all this, anyway? He couldn't rightly remembered, since he'd practically just seen his life flash before his eyes. Well…perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration, but still. It was traumatizing.

"As I was saying, Light-kun." He chewed on another, swallowing. "We should go to the circus today. Watari purchased two tickets."

Oh, right. That was it. Why the hell would he want to go to a place like _that?_ More importantly, why was he just thinking his and not verbalizing it?

"Pardon _me_, Ryuuzaki, but if you don't mind by me asking…why the hell would you want to go to a circus?"

L set the box down and started to toy with the sleeves of his shirt. "Well, it mostly has to do with today's holiday."

Light sighed in exasperation, feeling the urge to bury his hands in his face again. "You know that we can just go to a store and buy some, right?"

"Light-kun seems to have something against circuses. Do you not enjoy fun?"

"…have you even _been_ to a circus?"

"…" His owl eyes only blinked. No wonder…

"Okay, okay… How exactly did you go through childhood without going to a circus with family or friends? Not that you missed out or anything…" Oh, how Light absolutely _loathed_ circuses. Just thinking about them made his skin crawl.

L shrugged. "That is not of importance. The question is why you don't like circuses. From what I've researched, they seem like very entertaining events with lots of snacks and sweets…"

"Do you realize how _filthy _those places are? And, the sketchy people that always hang around?"

A soft knock was heard at the front door. L completely disregarded Light's comments and went to the door in his unhurried pace. The younger man, still bound to him by the chain, could do little else but follow. He carefully drank the rest of the coffee within his cup, trying to shake off his weariness. Light had struggled to get sleep the previous night since L had insisted to work on his laptop, which happened to have a blindingly bright screen, while lounging on the large bed. Not only was the screen an issue, but L would fidget _constantly_, thus making the bed move as well. Light was not blessed with the qualities of a heavy sleeper, and he was stuck with an insomniac.

L peered through the peephole on the door, then quickly undid the lock and opened it. Watari stood on the other side, dressed in his black winter coat and cap with two tickets in his hand. Two tickets that had some animals commonly found in circuses on them, in fact.

"Thank you very much, Watari. We'll be down in precisely ten minutes."

Light balked. _Ten minutes?_ He was still in his pajamas!

L looked at him with a raised eyebrow, seeming to have read his mind. "Are appearances truly that important to you, Light-kun? It's not as if we're having tea with the Queen of England."

"Why are you even so insistent that we go out again in the first place? I thought you preferred to not be out in public." Light crossed his arms. _Answer_ that_ one._

The other began toying with his bottom lip a bit. "Draw your own conclusions."

Doing his very best to contain his frustration, Light stalked to the bedroom to change into more presentable clothes. He muttered under his breath while pulling on a pair of jeans, "You just want to put me through hell…"

He could've sworn he heard a snicker.

* * *

L's eyes were the size of saucers when they had stepped foot into the enormous tent. Not only were there countless people, but there were all sorts of different lights, sounds, colors, _smells_… Ugh, most definitely smells. Underneath the stench of animals and the animals' defecation, there was the sweet scent of snacks, but it was heavily overpowered by the more dominant odor. His mind was in overdrive, analyzing everything he could see. He must've been standing there dumbly for quite some time, because he felt Light tug on his arm and drag him elsewhere. Watari had removed the chain upon their arrival at the circus, thus making such actions necessary.

"Will you pay attention? Some weirdo could have stolen your wallet or knocked you out to harvest your kidneys."

"There are two substantial flaws in your predictions, Light-kun." L couldn't help but stare at the vendor selling funnel cakes. They were making his mouth water. Light tugged at his arm again, the detective then deciding to elaborate. "One, I'm not carrying a wallet. I don't wish to keep identification on me, due to the likelihood of Kira's continued search for me and the imperativeness of my anonymity. Two, I doubt anyone could properly attack me, as I was fully aware of my surroundings."

"Really now?" Light shoved past a group of particularly slow families. "Then why didn't you evade me when I went for your arm?"

There was a brief pause before L made a reply. "Well, sometimes I tend to tune you out…"

Now _that_ did wonders for Light's self-esteem. He highly doubted L chose to tell the truth, however, as he knew that the detective was watching his every move. What sort of reaction was he trying to incite from him? Perhaps by leaving him to his own devices and appearing not to mind what he did, L was gaining insight to how Light acted when he wasn't in his presence. It was possible that he wanted to see if Light would stray from him, then allowing him to raise his "Light has a (insert number here) percent chance of being Kira" count. It was all just an elaborate test that Light was painfully aware of.

They'd managed to reach their seats relatively quickly after getting past the largest horde. Watari had purchased front row seats, to Light's displeasure. He did _not _look forward to a face full of elephant stink. L still watched everything around him, eyes widened in rapt amazement.

"It seems you were right, to a degree…" L said softly. Light almost didn't hear him due to the din of conversation behind them.

"Excuse me?"

L's shoes were neatly set on the ground in front of him and his legs drawn to his chest, as he normally did. He glanced over to Light briefly before scanning the masses once more. "There are precisely twenty-two convicted criminals within the audience tonight. However, this is less than one percent of the total amount of people. The likelihood that they would target us is very slim."

"And how do you figure that they're criminals?"

"A variety of things…" L still spoke in a slightly distracted manner. Or was that an act? "Body language and mannerisms set them apart. I also remember them from police records."

Light turned to look at the detective fully. "You're telling me that you know all of their identities?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Never mind…" What kind of a memory did that man have, anyway?

It was only moments later when the lights on the audience dimmed, a quiet settling among the masses. L stopped toying with his bottom lip, seeming to be frozen in anticipation. Spotlights focused on one of the entryways of the performance area. Light fully expected the ringmaster to emerge, greet everyone, and announce the beginning of the night's events, but the ringmaster was not to arrive first. In his place came a dozen brightly colored clowns. Little kids were practically wanting to pour into the performance area to get to them but they were kept subdued by parents. The painted individuals jumped and tumbled, made balloon animals and pulled pranks, and did all sorts of generally amusing things. Bored, Light glanced over to L…

…who held the most contorted face of panic he'd ever seen on him since the Second Kira's second tape. L, the world's greatest detective, was terrified of clowns. Oh, Light almost wanted to die of dark amusement.

As the clowns neared their general area, L began squirming in his seat. His back was pressed more fully on the back of the chair, trying to create distance between him and the dreaded creatures. Sadly, all of his efforts would be in vain. A clown with a wild blue wig practically flew over the rail and landed right in front of them. Oh, the kids seated behind them were having a grand time as that clown tooted a little hand-horn. L, on the other hand, was practically hyperventilating. The clown then suddenly pulled L onto his feet, pulled out a long green balloon, then proceeded to start blowing it up with air. Light managed to catch L's gaze for a short moment, and those eyes were just _begging_ for rescue. The clown, however, quickly fashioned a giraffe and shoved it into L's immobile arms, going about their merry way to the next group of innocent bystanders.

Shaking, L plopped back down into his seat. He didn't even bring up his legs as he customarily did. Light wasn't sure if he wanted to pity or mock the man. After difficult deliberation, he settled for the former.

"Ryuuzaki, are you all right?" he asked cautiously. That balloon animal looked like it was going to burst with the pressure that it was being subjected to.

L blinked rapidly, trying to gather some of his senses. "Perfectly…fine. I'm fine."

**POP!**

After releasing a not too terribly manly shriek, L promptly looked away from Light's incredulous expression. He felt his cheeks grow warm.

The two had to endure ten more minutes of the clowns' shenanigans, but far less horrifying displays occurred thereafter. First elephants, then the tightrope walker, big cat tamer, escape artist, contortionists, and so on and so forth. L seemed to perk up considerably when the large predatory cats performed their tricks. For such enormous felines, they could certain jump inconceivable heights. L was entranced.

There was one thing that tore his attention away from the act, however. Coming down the stairs to their general area was none other than the cotton candy vendor. L leapt out of his seat with agility almost like that of the big cats' in his haste to reach the unsuspecting vendor. The detective pulled out an enormous lump of cash from his pocket and stared into the man's eyes.

"I'll take everything you've got, please."

It was at that moment Light knew his fate was sealed.

Twelve. L had purchased twelve enormous amounts of cotton candy. Eight were pink and four were blue. He consumed seven of the twelve by the end of the performance. Light shuddered at how much sugar now rested in the man's stomach. The remaining five L nibbled on as they began to exit the tent, Light looking away in revulsion. Watching him was enough to make him sick. Several clumps of the stuff had been stuffed into his mouth upon their purchase, and that had been enough.

Instead of going directly to L's limousine, the detective suddenly veered off course. Sighing, Light followed after the detective. The raven-haired man had stopped in front of a booth that happened to sell countless stuffed animals and other sorts of children's merchandise, but it had drawn L in like a magnet. His pale hands reach out to grab a stuffed white Bengal tiger. He set it down and quickly passed some more of his never-ending cash supply to the vendor. With the tiger and cotton candy in his arms, he turned around to face Light.

"Yes, Light-kun?" Nibble, nibble…

"Could we please get back? I don't want to linger here for more than necessary."

L took a few more bites before speaking. "I suppose. Could you please hold my cotton candy on the way to our transportation? I want to focus my attention on Julia."

"_Who?"_ Now what was he blathering about?

The detective looked at him strangely and held out the tiger in front of his face. "Julia."

Oh, for the love of... "Fine. I don't really care. Let's just go."

To his shock earlier, L had actually decided to wear a coat. There was nothing fancy about it, it was just a plain black coat, but still. He had donned it once more after they'd gotten up from their seats, and he pulled it around himself tighter as they stepped out into the biting cold. Light adjusted his scarf appropriately, or as appropriately as he could with five giant balls of cotton candy in his hands. The parts that L had nibbled on were starting to harden.

They both kept about the same walking pace going through the parking lot, roughly walking side by side. L snuggled the tiger, or rather "Julia," close to his chest while his eyes scanned all around them. They got to the second row of cars when he stopped abruptly.

"Please, just leave us alone!" A woman's desperate voice rang out to their right. L immediately began in that direction, furtively going in between still-parked cars. Instinctively Light followed, following suit in his approach methods. Soon the pair caught sight of the scene.

A young woman wearing a white winter cap held her child to her side, both pressed against a van. Two men stood before them, brandishing knives. They seemed to eye the woman's purse and perhaps something else. One was astoundingly tall and the other of average height, both clad in dirtied clothes. Their backs were to L and Light who were still unnoticed.

"Listen lady, give us your handbag and you can leave with your kid," the taller said. "You won't get a scratch on your pretty little face."

The child whimpered in fear, burying himself in his mother's side.

"Hmmm…" L turned to Light and spoke softly, "This is quite a horrible act. I wonder if Kira would be here to stop it? It does look like they want more than just a purse."

Light stared into L's giant black eyes, momentarily speechless. He was right; the man was always waiting for him to slip up, and it only needed to happen once. Even if Light was so bold as to have the criminals killed, he would be proven guilty by L almost instantaneously. They were the only ones bearing witness to the act. Light put on a face of repulsion.

He hissed silently, "_How_ _could you even suggest something like that now?_"

L bit his bottom lip, searching Light's face for a bit. Once satisfied, he began to go around the car and move toward the two muggers. Light, at a loss, simply watched the detective's actions. Julia somehow was set on Light's shoulder, off of the dirty ground.

The woman's eyes darted to L's approaching figure. "Oh god, please help us!"

Confused, the taller man turned to face the direction of her gaze. He frowned at the sight of the raven-haired man.

"Hey, look at this shrimp. What do you think you're going to do, huh?" He turned his knife toward L who still steadily advanced.

Once within ten feet of the muggers, L halted and finally met their gaze. He scratched the back of his head slightly. "I'll give you guys fifteen seconds to leave the woman and her child, starting now."

The men simply looked at each other. The shorted one chuckled, speaking to his cohort, "Do you hear that? He's giving _us_ a warning."

"I'm sorry, pal, but it doesn't look like you've got anything to defend yourself with. You're a twig, on top of that. Leave us alone and we'll consider not snapping you like one, got it?"

Light set the things down on the roof of an SUV. He wasn't feeling too terribly good about the situation. If something were to happen to L, he'd definitely get the blame. This was starting to become too sketchy… L was going to go up against two guys, and one was a giant. They took notice of his approach almost at once.

"Well, if it isn't his cute little boyfriend. Come to save him from getting sent to the hospital?" the taller said, smirking.

He felt anger start to build up within him, despite his efforts to remain emotionally detached from the situation. "Why you-"

"Light," L spoke suddenly. "I can handle this. Stay there."

The woman slowly began to inch away with the muggers distracted. One noticed the movement and began to react, but L's voice rang out. He still seemed as calm as ever.

"You have five seconds still."

"Yama, you deal with this weirdo and his boyfriend. I'll make sure we get the lady's cash," the taller remarked. His friend was about to comply, but his path was cut short by a strong kick to his ribcage. Neither had even seen the hunched-over man _move_.

Yama, now having a name, fell to the ground at once and wrapped his arms around his chest in pain. He struggled to get breath back into his lungs. Light's eyes were wide in shock. He had heard a distinctive snap upon L's feet making contact with the mugger. A few of his ribs had been snapped, and only from a single kick. Clearly, the giant of a man had not really heard it, as he went towards the detective with boiling anger. His knife was raised high and ready to descend on L, but he quickly dropped down to sweep his legs under his assailant. The mugger fell down like a wall of bricks. It wasn't that the man hadn't the reflexes to react to the maneuver, but L had moved with the speed of a seasoned fighter. Light could only watch the display, now doubting that he would even have to step in at all.

L threw the knife away, grabbing one of the man's arms to twist it in a terribly painful position. He cried out in pain, still lying on his back. L's gaze quickly switched to the woman and child.

"Go now."

The woman took her child in her arms at once and bolted from the scene, allowing L to turn his attention more fully on the man under him.

"I am not Kira, so you both will keep your lives tonight. However, to discourage you from following my friend and I and preying upon people in the future, I wish to give you something."

The tall man's eyes widened and another sickening snap was heard. He released a great scream of agony into the air, L quickly drawing away. The man reached for his broken arm but dared not to touch it as waves of pain played across his face. Brushing off his clothes, L went past Light to get his things back.

"Ohhhh!" he whined seconds later, clearly upset about his discovery.

Light snapped back to his senses after witnessing the display, turning to face where L was. He had the tiger in his arms again, but he looked down at the pavement. Upon closer inspection, it seemed that the cotton candy had managed to roll off into a pile of dirty black snow.

L sighed, then grabbed Light's arm. "Come on. Watari has probably been waiting on us for some time now."

He followed the detective as he wove through cars once more. "What exactly was that…?"

L looked to him strangely. "What was what?"

He drew in a breath to speak again, but he closed his mouth. It wasn't worth it. They found the limousine seconds afterward and L stared out at buildings on their way back, Julia sitting on his lap. Light did, however, reach one conclusion: he still absolutely hated the circus.


	8. Take It in the Ear

Ah, a short one today. There are _plenty_ of ways to interpret this prompt, I'm sure. XD But, I'm sure you'll still be entertained. As always, please let me know how I'm doing and what you think about the fic thus far. Thanks for all of the positive feedback.

I don't own Death Note.

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December 8**  
Take It in the Ear Day  
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As silent as death, L crept up behind Light's sitting form. The young man was reading the newspaper, currently viewing a section filled with statements made by those who knew Kira victims. The detective glanced at the first two paragraphs and, deeming them uninteresting, proceeded with the task at hand. Very, very carefully he moved the object in his hand closer to his unsuspecting victim's auditory organ. When it finally made contact, Light practically leapt out of his skin with his newspaper flying into the air.

L quickly drew the bundle of wet ear swabs away. His eyes observed Light trying to gain his composure from just above the top of the couch's back. He was spotted within seconds.

"What the fuck, Ryuuzaki?"

"You knew it was going to happen, Light-kun."

Light pursed his lips. "From my reaction, couldn't you infer that I _didn't _very well know of what was going to happen?"

L stood, no longer seeing any sense in hiding behind the piece of furniture. He held up one of the December calendars, his finger traveling to the eighth. "_Take It in the Ear Day_…"

The other just stared, which didn't really seem to phase the detective. With all the hours the man spent staring at computer screens, the action was ignored completely. Light rested his hand on the bridge of his nose, almost at a loss. It wasn't even half-way through the month, and he'd been practically molested!

"Instead of emotionally disturbing methods of celebration, I was under the impression that to _'Take It in the Ear' _was to _listen_ to something. You know…like a story or whatever?"

"So Light-kun is emotionally disturbed?"

Light was certain that damned Shinigami was just eating this all up, the bastard. "To put it mildly."

With the cotton swabs long forgotten behind the couch, L seemed to observe the glass coffee table with astounding fascination. Basically, he had his "thinking face" on. Light didn't take notice of this, though, since he had started to gather up the pages of newspaper that had landed all over the floor and furniture. It looked like an ADD chimpanzee had decided to decorate the room with newspaper pages, really.

Just as he was about to grab the stock market section beside a lamp, hot breath hit his other ear. Before his body could have made any kind of appropriate response, something dreadfully slimy and warm traveled across the shell of his ear. A tremor ran through his entire body at the contact, feeling nothing like the object L had used moments before. To say that he was stunned would have been an understatement.

L scrunched his nose and drew away. "I think it would be wise for Light-kun to better clean his ears. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be wanting to go to the kitchen to acquire some cake."


	9. Pastry

Making up for the 8th's shortness. Sadly, I got caught by the horrid thing called the nearing of the end of the semester, and I didn't quite get to finish this one, so it'll be a double chapter day. Reviewers are lovely and...will get extra chocolate this Christmas. :3 Oh, and there are some Shakespeare allusions so I'll have a cute little "translation" for those who don't like Elizabethan speak. LOL-worthy, methinks.

I don't own Death Note.**  
**

* * *

December 9**  
Pastry Day  
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**

As Light was brushing his teeth in the bathroom, getting ready for yet another day in the company of the world's most bizarre individual, he certainly didn't expect to see L waltz in wearing over his clothes a bright pink apron covered in little red hearts and lined with white lace. He wasn't completely sure if he was still asleep or not, so he stared dumbly until L actually started talking to him.

"Don't put on anything expensive. We're making tarts today."

That's right; it was _Pastry Day_, wasn't it? He'd just assumed that they'd order something from a bakery, or perhaps have Watari make some sweets for them as he did everyday for the detective. He didn't even think for a moment that L was willing to actually make some baked goods _himself_. Did he have any culinary skills to begin with? Instead of verbalizing these thoughts, he opted for going along with things. He was still groggy from another difficult night of sleep.

"What kind?" Oh, wait. He still had his toothbrush in his mouth. He took the object out and spat into the sink the liquid in his mouth.

"Cherry."

Light wiped off his mouth and turned to look to the detective who was clad in that ridiculous apron, but only found an empty doorway. The chain was stretched rather taut. He could tell that the man was waiting for him to get out of the bathroom so he could move farther away, because he could hear the detective's phone making sounds from the Tetris game it held. It was a habit L had picked up quickly when he was away from his precious laptop and had could only wait on Light for varying periods of time.

Light finished up mere minutes later and went to throw on a graphic tee and some jeans, which were in short supply in his closet. He had very little "cheap" clothes, as he far preferred to dress nicely. How could L stand to wear the same kind of shirt and jeans each and every day? It would have driven him crazy. At the very least, they weren't the _exact _same articles of clothing each day. In the closet there hung white long-sleeved shirt after white long-sleeved shirt along with countless blue jeans.

While dressing, he called out to L who was now half-way to the kitchen and still going at that Tetris game. "Ryuuzaki…do you even know how to bake?"

There was no reply from the hallway. Of course.

Scratch that, L _did _reply minutes later. "…I gathered the supplies listed in the recipe."

Well, it was a start. Light just prayed that nothing would catch fire. How was it that a genius couldn't figure out the basic mechanics of a mixer and oven? Things were not boding well so far.

Once properly dressed, Light exited the bedroom and headed to the kitchen along with L. Even while walking L kept at that game, clearing rows and raking in the points like nobody's business. Light never really cared for video games, so it confused him to no end how L found such a simple one so consuming. Or rather, when was L going to stop playing Tetris and actually focus on the matter at hand?

"Ryuuzaki, you do realize that you're going to assist in the baking process, not just gather supplies…right?" he asked, looking pointedly at L.

L, almost pouting, wordlessly pocketed the phone. "…I almost reached level 18, you know."

"Oh? I suppose we should call the waaah-mbulance, shouldn't we?"

"Your maturity is comparable to a child's, Light-kun."

Light crossed his arms, steadily growing annoyed. "You know, we could just _not_ make the tarts."

Quickly L replied in his monotone, "That is highly unacceptable. We must strictly adhere to the calendar, else my suspicions regarding your guilt will increase exponentially."

"So you're concluding that people who _don't_ celebrate frivolous 'holidays' are immoral and evil?"

"Are you opening the realm of possibility that Kira is a good person?"

"No, I'm not! Can we just start making the damned tarts already?" Banging his head against the edge of the counter sounded pretty appealing now.

"Very well, Kira."

Light could clearly feel his eye twitch, but he ignored the comment. Taking in a breath of air, he glanced down at the recipe. It wasn't all that complicated; the thing didn't even take up the whole front of a sheet of paper. The dough was first on their list of priorities so he went over to where L had placed the butter and flour, carrying them over the food processor. The detective shuffled over and eyed what he was doing with some interest. Well, as much interest as he could convey with his serious face on. The man wouldn't really be concerned about anything until their product started to look more tart-like.

Light began to chop the butter into smaller pieces. "Ryuuzaki, could you possibly measure out one and a half cups of flour?"

Wordlessly L complied, digging out measuring cups from drawers and attending to the container of flour. The task was not completed without messes. Apparently, L's hands were very shaky or the man wasn't very patient when making sweets. Light had glanced over to check L's progress, catching sight of the white powder that had found its way on the floor…and the counter…and L's horrid pink apron. At least that thing had served its purpose.

Though in the back of his mind he was thankful that L had assembled the ingredients far ahead of time – the butter was room temperature and thus easier to manipulate – Light was steadily losing his grip on his temper. Odd, how he'd never gotten so riled up by _anyone_ before. Oh, right. Leave it to the world's greatest detective to figure out how to make him go completely mad. He wouldn't be surprised if that had been his plan all along and then –

A small clump of white powder found its way onto Light's shoulder, exploding in a miniature puff of smoke. Light stopped cutting the butter into smaller pieces to shift his gaze to L.

Seeming to pay attention to the most minute details, L was obsessively making sure that there was exactly one cup and a half within the glass container. His fingers glided with extreme control over the surface, making sure that it was undoubtedly level. The container held a near perfect amount of flour. He was being _too_ diligent.

"Ryuuzaki," Light bit off harshly. "Don't act so innocent, please."

L continued to examine the container and its contents. "I'm afraid I don't follow. I've been at work with the flour, you see."

"Oh? And how did I get this?" Light pointed to the small mess on his shoulder. "I don't suppose it was the work of any swallows or what have you, seeing as though we're the only ones here. And, I don't particularly like coating myself in flour."

"An interesting question," he said, still avoiding looking at the fuming younger man. "Perhaps Light-kun is merely a 'klutz,' as some call it?"

_Breathe in…_ Which, in the end, had little effect.

"Funny, and for two irrefutable reasons. First, I am nowhere near the flour which _you_ are. And secondly, you seem to have made quite the mess all over yourself and the kitchen, _klutz_." The foreign word felt strange on his lips, but its awkward sound felt suiting for the detective.

L _rolled his eyes_. He almost couldn't believe it with the professional front the man kept nearly all of the time. It was something he'd expect out of his sister, really. The detective's retort came quickly. "My Lady Disdain, are you yet living?"

Light was thrown off-balance for a moment. Had L quoted "Much Ado About Nothing"?Because that line seemed awfully familiar from his English Literature courses… Moreover, was that line really necessary? Of all the lines, he had to be called a woman. Of course…and this was coming from the man in the pink frilled apron? He'd play this game, then. Beating L at something sounded like just what he needed. Oh, and how he would rub his face in defeat.

Quickly fingering through the files of his memory, he was able to find that first scene from the Shakespearian play. "Is it possible Disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as L?" He saw the detective halt in his efforts with the flour, causing Light to smirk and continue (while fixing things where he was still referred to as a woman, of course). "Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in _his_ presence."

L set the flour down, just _staring _at Light. It was almost a little creepy. "Then courtesy is a turncoat." His bony fingers twitched, hand resting on the counter. "But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a heart; for, truly, I love none."

Shit, he had the whole play memorized, didn't he? It was a brief stroke of luck that Light had bothered to read this particular scene enough. He still stood firm, meeting the detective's gaze. "A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank _God_," Light said, having to chuckle mentally at the line, "and my cold blood, I am your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me."

L frowned slightly. "God keep your _ladyship _still in that mind; so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate scratched face."

Light could feel a smirk come across his face. "Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as _yours_ were."

Rather than the atomic bomb landing somewhere in Japan, though it may have very well been, a great "bomb" of flour exploded on Light's face. He stood in shock for a few fleeting seconds before he roughly pushed past L to the bag of flour. With one hand brushing the powder from his eyes and the other delving into the bag, he threw a handful in the detective's direction.

Damn, he missed! L had dodged by dropping to the ground, but just barely. The stuff was floating down now and he swiftly moved over to avoid the falling particles, almost like snow.

Light was still attending to his eyes and muttering obscenities. Feeling satisfied that he'd have his work cut out for him, L quietly began crawling away on the kitchen tile. The table was in sight. He'd make it there in no time at all with chain to spare, and it would provide adequate protection. As always, Light's vanity would be his undoing.

Or so he thought.

Seconds later, a large amount of weight came down on L's low form. Almost losing the breath in his lungs from the abrupt impact, L turned to look at _what_ it was…

…and came face-to-face with a _very_ unhappy Light. He gulped, not quite so confident anymore. And then, suddenly, all he could see was white. Upon further inspection, he was most certainly not knocked out or dead, as his profuse hacking told him. Light hadn't just thrown some flour on him, oh no. It was highly likely he'd dumped the entire _bag _over his head. Death by inhalation of profusion of flour didn't sound very admirable.

In a brief flash of anger, L groped madly for the fabric of Light's clothes. Oh, he definitely felt the need to "scratch" the man's undoubtedly smug face. He was robbed of his vision for the time being, relying merely on touch. His hands came in contact with the fabric of Light's shirt, he was certain. Light had clearly not expected the detective to react as quickly as he did, losing his balance…

…and landing flush on top of the flailing detective. It didn't take a genius for them to figure out how close exactly their faces were, with how hot breath so easily hit the skin. But, as quickly as it had happened, L brought up his legs and kicked the younger man off. The dark-haired man scurried back into his feet and began brushing flour off of his face with the speed unheard of.

One hour later Watari finished cleaning the abomination of a kitchen and brought L the freshly made cherry tarts. None were shared with Light.

* * *

**The Shakespearean translation/argument in a nutshell!**

L: hai ther lady hatefulness. haha, i called you a chick. shouldn't u be dead?  
Light: lol, how could meanness die when ur around? even nice _me_ turns into a meanie.  
L: but that makes u a traitor, stupid. everyone luvs me, except u. you suck. it's kinda sad tho that i'm cold-hearted, cuz i won't luv anyone. in other words, i hate u. oh, and ur still a woman.  
Light: STFU. women r lucky then, cuz u suck as a suitor. i'd rather listen to the most maddening sounds in the world than listen to ur voice. btw, love is stupid.  
L: stay single, then. some dude will be saved getting his face getting scratched up by u and ur pms...cuz ur a chick.  
Light: :D if they had a face like ur face, then it wouldn't make a difference lololololol.  
L: *releases the great force of the Flour-Bomb (not to be confused with the F-Bomb)*

I hope that clears things up. XD


	10. Festival for the Souls of Dead Whales

Finally, we're caught up again! Here we'll be taking a more serious tone, but rest assured, there is still plenty of silliness ahead. And, the question here is, are they truly talking about whales? There is this to consider and many other things to look for and interpret in this little chapter, such as the use of "light." No, not "Light"...but it just makes it that much more significant. Tell me what you think you've found. :)

And yes, this is a bit of a turning point...

**Note:** I wrote this while listening to the sound of gentle waves on the beach. I highly recommend doing so while reading to get a better hold on the mood of the piece.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 10 **  
Festival for the Souls of Dead Whales  


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**

Light fought to keep out the biting cold by hugging his coat closer to his body. Luckily, there wasn't much wind but that didn't stop his body from protesting. Exactly how many more holidays would involve him having to go out and face the elements? There they stood at the sea shore with a perfectly warm limousine sitting but fifty feet away. He stared at the ridiculous object in L's hands with contempt. Of all the stupid, impractical, pointless holidays…

"Light-kun," L's voice rang out, a bit quiet. The waves, though gentle, did not help with hearing the statement.

Light merely grumbled.

"Could you please put the petty fight from yesterday aside? If it really means that much, then by all means…" The detective glanced down at the little boat in his hands. "…I'm sorry. Now, can you take this seriously?"

Well…that was a first. Light blinked in surprise. Somehow, he doubted anyone in the history of the world had received an apology from L. He nodded dumbly.

"Good. Now, if you'll light this match…"

L handed over the match box to Light, who quickly rubbed it over the striker. The small flame of the match glowed in the darkness, their only source of illumination save the occasional sweep of the near-by lighthouse. Light moved the flame to the stout candle resting within the little white boat that L held.

Blowing out the match, Light commented, "Do explain, oh wise Ryuuzaki, why exactly we're doing this. And if you say, 'It's for ghost whales,' one more time, I swear to you…"

L looked to him with a clearly displeased expression.

"Well?"

Sighing, L sat down onto the cold, wet sand. His toes curled into it, having forgone wearing any shoes or coat. He'd insisted earlier to Watari that they'd be out for "only a few minutes," and L had won the argument, of course. Seeing as though the chain wouldn't allow him to make a run for the limousine, Light resigned to sitting down beside the dark-haired man.

It was strange how scenes would be illuminated, but only very fleetingly, by the lighthouse's beam. He almost found himself transfixed while watching things revealed in the inky darkness, soon finding his gaze upon L once more. His eyes seemed larger than ever in the dark of the night, looking out to some far-off place. Light could only see this for perhaps two seconds, but he did not continue to follow the moving beam. He could barely see an outline of him now with the weak flame of the candle, now set off to the side.

L's voice was even softer still, as if afraid to break some sort of fragile peace in the air. Light found himself focusing on hearing each wispy word. "Ever since the twelfth century, Japan has participated in whaling. Then, it was more of a spiritual association with those great marine creatures… However, techniques greatly improved in the seventeenth century, and thusly more whales were killed."

He could hear L shift his position. The light came around again and revealed an L with his knees drawn to his chest and his chin on his knees, still staring out to see with that unreadable expression. The waves climbed just a little bit closer, tickling at their feet.

Once the light passed, the detective resumed in his hushed tone. "Whaling groups assembled. Their methods allowed for several ships to close in on a whale. They would frighten the creature to a designated area by means of sound and an encircling method with twenty or more ships. Six trapped it with nets. Once fatigued from its struggle, harpoons were deployed and made easy work of it. They would use every part of the whale for products of all sorts…in Japan, that is."

Light frowned, imagining the scene. Whales, as big as they were, certainly would have had plenty of blood… The water would be stained for –

"Fast forward to 1954 and the School Lunch Act made whale meat included in compulsory education. Whale meat became a staple of the diet in Japan, and the overall population was higher than ever before. Incomprehensible numbers of whales were hunted to feed the growing country. It was what the people wanted…"

Light still listened with rapt fascination, drawn in by the odd sort of mysteriousness in L's voice. The light swept over the detective's form once more, but the enormous eyes of his were no longer set out to sea. They stared directly into Light own eyes, causing him to find himself frozen. Neither blinked but the darkness was quick to return.

"They did what they thought was necessary. Kill the whales for food, for a spiritual sort of connection…despite what it meant for the whales. But was it right, I wonder, to kill so many for a greater good?"

Light felt the comment sting within his chest. Was it still about whales at this point?

"Though, no matter how the situation is judged…" L was heard shuffling about and the candlelight moved farther and farther away from where they sat, the detective speaking again, "…we still have to send this boat out for those whales."

Light mutely watched as the boat was lowered to the gentle waters, wobbling slightly on the movement of its surface. Gently then it drifted away from them into the night, its flame still flickering as it went. Lost in the sight of the burning candle departing, Light was surprised to feel L's clammy hands grab for his arm and start to lead him back to the limousine.


	11. Noodle Ring

Very interesting interpretations from the previous chapter. Thanks for your feedback! The 10th was one of my most favorite ones to do because of the significance of that particular moment. So, it makes me ultra happy that it was liked so much by others! :D Want more moments like those? Then stick around. :) More focus on L this time. Now that I think about it, if there's ever something that I found myself listening to while writing a particular prompt I'll share it at the beginning. It's not totally necessary to look it up, but it might be something some would like to do. But as always, tell me what you think.

This time around, it was _Lullaby For My Favorite Insomniac_ by Ahn Trio. A nice sleepy-time song. :)

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 11**  
Noodle Ring Day**

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**

It was precisely 12:14 AM on December 11. While Light slept soundly and had the sheets wrapped around his body, L crouched down and was stretching to reach a small box from under the bed. Even in the dark he could see the faint outline of the object and his fingers were just millimeters away. He couldn't quite remember how the thing had managed to get set directly in between the two sides of the bed and this fact was greatly irking him. Biting his lower lip, he tried to lodge just a little bit more of his arm and shoulder under the low bed. The tips of his fingers ghosted an edge. Ha! He had it. Hastily he pulled the small box from its hiding spot.

He sighed, resting his forehead against the side of the bed. He'd spent far too long on retrieving a box of elbow macaroni noodles. Light shifted in the bed, rolling to his other side. L remained still for three minutes to assure himself that the other man was still absolutely unconscious. He would have to work very efficiently and with extreme silence.

Slowly, L peered over the top of the bed. Light's sleeping face was directed toward him now. His hair, always perfectly in place during the day, was now strewn messily about. Though even with the bed-head it still seemed immaculate. How _was_ that? Moreover, he actually appeared at peace, to a degree. Had he ever seen the young man _without _a frown or his eyebrows together in frustration or annoyance? Yes, Light was a completely different person when he slept. A shame he couldn't be pleasant during the daytime…

It was his one of his nightly frustrations. Light did have a brilliant mind, but most of his waking hours he preferred to be, for lack of a better term, a complete and utter ass. When he did get to actually poke at his intellect, it was only by means of insult or pestering. But now before him was a perfectly calm and friendly looking Light without a care in the world. Now, how to combine the two and remove the less than favorable characteristics…

Which was, ultimately, impossible. Grabbing an item from his own nightstand, L crept over to Light's side of the bed. Once close to the man's form, he could immediately smell the shampoo from his shower prior to his going to bed. The man showered at least twice a day, which seemed entirely unnecessary to L…though it did mean he always smelled pleasant, and L definitely could _not_ tolerate stench. He felt tempted to see if all that shampoo made his hair exceptionally soft, but it couldn't be risked at this point. Light was not a heavy sleeper from what he'd observed in the time they'd had the chain connecting them.

Without making a sound L opened the top of the box and took out two macaroni noodles. Together they could perfectly fit around a single finger, though not a terribly thick one. From his nightstand he had brought a bottle of glue. He couldn't properly read the label in the dark but he could locate the tip and remove it for use. Next would be the difficult part: retrieving one of Light's hands. If he made the slightest mistake, Light would awaken and be on alert for the rest of the night, thus making a second attempt impossible. Doing his best to calm his chronically somewhat-shaky hands, he reached out for an arm that poked out from under the sheets. Light didn't stir as L brought it over to where he stood on the other side. Phase one, completed.

He then coated one of Light's inner fingers with glue where the noodles would be placed. Still no sign of consciousness. Taking in another breath to keep his focus, L placed the two noodles on either side of the digit, forming a "ring." For safe measure, he coated the actual noodles with glue as well. Finally, to allow the hand-made jewelry to dry, he had Light's hand dangle over the side of the bed. All of this happened in less than one minute.

L sat back down on the ground and let out the breath he was holding. He looked at the box and glue still in his hands. Taking out his cell phone from his pocket, he decided to use its light to read the writing on the two objects better. The noodles were perfectly average, the generic kind you'd get at a grocery store. The glue…

Oh, shit. The glue.

It wasn't the kind of glue you'd use for arts and crafts projects. Heavens, no. For whatever reason, L had apparently been holding extra strength, waterproof, industrial glue in his nightstand drawer. Fearing for his life a bit more, he carefully placed the bottle of glue under the bed. He'd find some string later and make his own ring with that.

* * *

Roughly eight hours later at 8:30 AM, Light Yagami would wake-up. He'd found L sitting against the wall on his side of the bed, going at his Tetris game once more. Thinking he was too absorbed in the game, Light reached for the brush on his nightstand and began to start taming the mess of hair he had on his head.

"Good morning, Light-kun," came the monotone voice of L.

Oh, well. It seemed he was paying attention to everything…as always. "Good morning," Light replied, his voice weighed down a bit with tiredness. He continued attending to his hair, pulling out the occasional knot or two.

The detective said nothing more, however. Light frowned at this discovery. Usually, the first thing he'd do was announce the day's holiday and tell him their plan of action, which he typically had no input in. Had he already done something…? Curious, Light dragged himself out of bed to walk to the calendar on the wall.

"_Noodle Ring Day_…?" he said to himself quietly. Did that mean…

Wordlessly he looked down at his hands…and sure enough, on his left ring finger there was indeed a ring. A ring made of macaroni noodles and glue. L watched the man with a growing sense of anxiety out of the corner of his eyes, though appeared to still merely be playing Tetris. Any minute now….

Sighing, Light started toward the bathroom for his morning shower. L moved to sit at the other side of the room to allow enough chain for the younger man to do so, still watching his actions with the utmost scrutiny. Where was the cursing, the shouts? It was outright unnerving.

Just as Light was about to close the door and begin his daily ritual, he paused and turned to face the detective. L hid his apprehension.

"Ryuuzaki, would it be possible for me to remove the 'ring' while in the shower?" Was there…not _any _malice in his voice?

He shifted his feet before replying. "I'm afraid not… I used the wrong glue."

There was a brief pause. L was ready to react to the situation. His phone would be left on the floor and he could defend himself from the inevitable onslaught. But –

Nothing happened of that sort.

"Oh. Never mind, then."

And then the door closed behind him. L could only gape at what had transpired…or rather, what hadn't. For the rest of the day, he went about his business unscathed.

What was the world coming to?


	12. Ding A Ling

XD This...by far was the strangest prompt I had to deal with. Right off the bat, you'll notice something off about one of the two. If you'd like you can look up the meaning of today's holiday yourself, though it'll be explained on the 13th as well. Let's call it...a change of pace? Oh, and to make it more involved, name that quote! So as always, leave reviews if you're enjoying the fic.

Tomorrow's will be fun. I like the prompts from the second(ish) half of the month a lot. :)

**Note:** The video that's mentioned in the very beginning of the chapter is _My Ding-A-Ling_ by Chuck Berry. It's not necessary to view it at all, but it is pretty funny.

I don't own Death Note.

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December 12**  
Ding-A-Ling Day  
**

**

* * *

**

To have said L was confused was an understatement. The sun hadn't quite risen and he sat at his laptop on the bed, busy with his research. However, Kira was not his present concern. At the moment, he found himself watching a mildly disturbing video with an American man playing guitar and singing about…well, pretending to sing about bells. L could see through the innuendo easily enough, but was…_that_…really what the day's holiday was about? He frowned. Surely there had to be some other way, some other interpretation of a ding-a-ling…

As L began to open up a new search browser page to continue his investigation, he felt a hand shoot out and grab for his arm. His head snapped to face the direction of the appendage, coming face-to-face with Light. His eyes were filled with what looked like a horrible sort of darkness, making his blood want to run cold. The younger man opened his mouth to speak, L holding his breath. He knew it was going to happen, but he never expected it to be now and –

"Excuse me, I would like to buy a fish license please."

Blink.

_What the…_

"Light…?"

Light sat up, but kept that iron grip on L's arm. "Right. Now, I'm going to say a word and I want you to say the first thing that comes into your head. How many pints do you want?"

_Of what?_ Trying to remain composed, L replied slowly, "Six?"

"Yogurt?"

Very discretely, the detective backed up an inch or two. "No, not yogurt…"

"Cream?"

Was Light _high?_ L didn't keep any drugs in the bathroom that he knew of… "No…"

Light tilted his head to the side. "Eggs?"

"No."

The younger man sighed, finally releasing L's arm. He looked to him again with the utmost seriousness on his face. "Right. Well, you're quite clearly suffering from a repressive libido complex, probably the product of an unhappy childhood, coupled with acute insecurity in adolescence, which has resulted in an attenuation of the libido complex."

"…Light."

The other man just stared blankly. Well, that was assuring.

"Pardon my language…but what the fuck are you talking about? Did you get drugs from Misa or something?" His large eyes observed the auburn-haired man with trepidation.

Light frowned. "Don't you shout at me, madam, don't come that tone. Now then, I must ask you to accompany me down to the dairy and do some aptitude tests."

Even being a genius couldn't help L formulate a proper response. Really, he did try. What was even going on? It was then in his confusion that Light leaned in absurdly close to his ear. The detective didn't appreciate the sudden intrusion into his bubble but the other man showed no sign of noticing his discomfort.

He whispered quickly into his ear, "Drop your panties, Sir William, I cannot wait till lunch time."

The look of pure horror on L's normally bored-looking façade was nothing short of comical, but there wasn't really anyone around to take in the sight. It was then that L leapt off the bed with speed not unlike a rabbit on crack. He quickly turned around, making sure Light was still in his sight and unable to sneak up on him again. L had to make sense of the situation, because frankly…he was becoming seriously creeped out.

Light released a great sigh and got off of the bed himself. "It was only a minor earthquake, but the etch-a-sketch gallery was ruined…"

_Time to run some tests._ He could feel his fingers twitch at his side. "Light, what is your favorite color?"

Light then froze for exactly one minute and three seconds. Not a muscle twitched during this time. Was he Kira, as he'd always suspected, and today was the day he'd finally lost himself and gone insane? There was still the chance that he was heavily…_heavily_ under the influence. But when could've that happened?

Light's voice rang out clearly, as if he hadn't taken the strange pause at all. "Dioxizine violet."

"…what is your current age?"

The younger man paid no heed to the most recent question for the time being, walking over to the large closet. Rather than changing into something of his own, he tossed his sleeping shirt to the ground and donned one of L's white long-sleeved shirts. Well, at least L could pick out an emotion other than confusion…acute annoyance.

"e divided by the square root of seven."

It was then that L stepped out of the room wordlessly into the hallway. He sat down and started playing Tetris, praying to whatever gods there were that he'd not have to face Light for…any amount of time. He wasn't picky now. His brain was thoroughly disoriented.

* * *

Sometime later (L hadn't kept track of time) he felt eyes upon him again. He was _not_ going to look up, because eye contact would only encourage him and –

"Meow."

Well, he had lied to himself. He ended up looking up to meet Light's gaze. The man appeared lucid…at the moment.

Hesitantly, L replied, "…woof?"

"YOU'RE THE WORST PONY EVER AND I HATE YOU!"

Light sped into the kitchen and L stared a moment before continuing his game of Tetris.

* * *

It was fifteen minutes this time before Light returned. L steeled himself for another totally irrelevant and quite possibly disturbing statement.

Light sat down across from him very carefully with his legs crossed. He rubbed his eyes a few times.

"Is there something you'd like to say, Light?"

Light nodded.

"Well…?" Oh, why was he even encouraging him?

"Your hair…is really big." His eyes widened…perhaps more than should have been possible. He continued in almost a whisper, _"Is it filled with secrets?"_

"Not…exactly…"

He let out a sigh of relief. "Well, it's a good thing we're all wearing our anti-sea rhinoceros undergarments."

"…"

"Excuse me, I need to get a food out of the oven."

Once again, Light scrambled back into the kitchen. L banged the back of his head on the wall several times. He had brain cells to spare, anyway.

* * *

A strangled cry came from the kitchen. Several pots and pans crashed to the floor and a rubber duck was heard.

"COMMUNISTS STOLE MY JUICE BOX!"

L buried his face in his hands. "Kira…if you have any soul, please kill me now."

* * *

Light was currently chewing on some of L's hair. He spit it out in disgust.

"You stink. You smell like beef and cheese! YOU DON'T SMELL LIKE SANTA!"

L stared blankly at him. "Santa doesn't exist."

Light gaped.

"Boo, you whore!"

…and ran off sobbing.

* * *

He stopped keeping track of time and his phone was rapidly losing battery power from playing Tetris non-stop. L had beaten his highest score more times than he cared to count, and Light was currently coloring in a coloring book on the ground a few feet away. He seemed to be favoring the…white crayon?

He inhaled deeply all of a sudden. "There is so much AIR in this room!"

"Yes, there is."

"I need some new quilting patterns."

"Oh."

"May I caress your rusty spoons?"

"For whatever reason…that makes me feel very uncomfortable, Light-kun." Well, as if he didn't feel that way already.

He put his hands on his hips, a frown on his face. "That's MISTER doctor professor Patrick to you!"

"Right."

Excitedly, Light crawled over to L's form, still sitting against the wall. Fighting the urge to flinch, he let the man whisper something into his ear. Surely, he'd be able to put up with whatever it was by this point.

After Light drew away, L calmly stood and walked into the bathroom. He then proceeded to take a two-hour long shower.

Grinning, Light went to go flop down on top of the messily made bed. Ryuk poked his head into the room from out of one of the walls. The Shinigami chuckled in delight.

"Ahhh, Light! You really got him today, didn't you?"

He stretched, feeling rather satisfied with himself. "Mmm, yes. It was his own fault though that he wasn't aware of the implications of today's holiday. I've always been the one following along with his harebrained schemes."

Ryuk entered the room more fully, floating over to stand a few feet from Light. "Your acting skills are still as sharp as ever, I see. His horror…ah, I could barely help myself!" The death god continued chortling.

"I don't know if I can go on like that, though… Should I go ahead and give up the act whenever he's finished cleansing himself properly?" He was lucky that he'd watched as much Monty Python as he had when her sister had gone through that British humor phase, but he was running low on nonsensical phrases and it was just mentally taxing.

The Shinigami protested, "Oh, it's been so entertaining watching him squirm in discomfort…it's a shame to let it end!" It was then that Ryuk noticed the bizarre ring on the man's finger. "Eh? Light, why are you still wearing those noodles?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Why's that? I myself would rather eat food, but you humans can be strange…"

Light brought his left hand up to his face and examined the arts and crafts project gone horribly wrong. "No reason."

* * *

**A/N:** What was the last thing Light whispered to L? :D  
Answer: "If I said you had beautiful body, would you hold it against me? I... I am no longer infected."


	13. Ice Cream and Violins

Ahhh, I barely missed the deadline for this one. I finished it before midnight, but it got submitted a little after, so it's technically no longer the thirteenth... Oh well. The fourteenth will still get its chapter.

On another note, I was surprised at how well the twelfth day was received. XD It was fun, don't get me wrong. Most of my quotes I drew from Monty Python skits, Spongebob, and Unrelated Captions submissions. Here now we have the longest chapter to date. It's a more serious tone compared to yesterday's - though anything could look serious compared to yesterday's - and was another prompt I enjoyed writing immensely.

Please continue to leave reviews! They've all been wonderful. :)

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 13**  
Ice Cream Day and Violins Day  
**

**

* * *

**

As Light was pulling on his clothes , starting with one of his many pairs of dress pants, he thought back to the previous evening in amusement. L sat on the bed and was fiddling with some string, seemingly oblivious to his amusement. Oh, he remembered that moment quite well.

* * *

L had finally gotten out of the shower, dressed in fresh clothes and still drying his wild hair with a towel. Light was seated calmly on the bed and facing him, his hands on his lap and a small smile on his face. The detective instinctively stepped back.

"What seems to be the matter, Ryuuzaki?" he asked, oh so sincere.

L frowned. "Nothing. I just expected you to try to mind-rape me again. I am seriously considering having you institutionalized."

Light laughed a bit. "And here I thought you were thorough with your research!"

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

His grin only widened. "Well, you see…I was fully aware of the holiday for the twelfth of December. Allow me to elaborate." Light cleared his throat, reciting what he'd found the previous evening. "_On __National Ding-a-Ling Day__, you should brace yourself for bizarre and crazy behavior, from __**all **__of the people you encounter today. Even normally conservative people have been known to go a little crazy on this day._ _Ding-a-Lings will be everywhere: on the road, on the street, in stores, and even __**in your house!**_ So, in other words…I was simply acting the part. Would say my acting skills were adequate?"

L simply gave him a deadpan stare. Light almost wanted to feel unnerved. Almost. However, he kept his grin firmly plastered to his face to further ire the detective.

Without any warning whatsoever, L flipped him the bird and exited the room.

* * *

Ryuk had been hysterical about the exchange, laughing it up for what was probably hours. And, Light had to admit, it was perhaps one of the most gratifying experiences he'd had. Never had he gotten under L's skin _that _much. Once it had gotten dark that day, L had returned and congratulated him…which seemed very strange, but he was always willing to take a compliment. Apparently they were on speaking terms again?

"Light-kun, today we have a very particular dress code to which we will need to adhere."

The younger man turned to look to him curiously, a shirt and blazer in hand.

Somehow, the dark-haired man changed clothes while Light had his back turned. And by a change of clothes, it was certainly not what the man wore day in and day out. Dark black jeans, a black long-sleeved shirt, black socks (that was a little shocking), black gloves… What the hell?

"Tonight it is imperative that we dress entirely in black. We are going to go into a restricted area and stealth is key." He scratched the back of his head a bit. "Wear anything that will allow you to be mobile that's black, if you would."

"…we're breaking in an entering? Isn't that against your moral obligations?"

"As I explained before, this task of December holidays is vital to the Kira case. If it proves successful, such things will be well worth it."

Light sighed. "Whatever. Isn't part of today about ice cream?" He resumed dressing, but he reached for one of his black sweaters instead, putting what he'd planned on wearing back in the closet. He knew somewhere he'd find his black beanie hat (he remembered the incident with Penber fondly) as well as some black tennis shoes somewhere on the floor. Undoubtedly he had black gloves in his coat pockets…

"Indeed." L slipped off of the bed to stand. "But, that's not what we're 'breaking into.'"

Perhaps he'd enjoy the day more than he thought.

* * *

L very carefully stuffed the two small containers of ___Häagen__-____Dazs _ice cream into a black backpack along with spoons, a container of sprinkles, and napkins. Once finished, he placed the pack filled with valuables onto Light's lap. The younger man complied, putting it on his person securely while L pulled up the enormous collar of his shirt over his face. It seemed perfectly reasonable that L was concerned about his identity, but he hadn't quite noticed the peculiar collar before. The detective had absolutely refused to tell him details about their destination on the way. Surely L wouldn't be one for theft?

Wordlessly Light took the scarf he had wrapped around his neck and secured it around his face, following suit. To his surprise, L's next action was removing the chain from his and Light's wrist. The younger man looked to him uncertainly.

He quickly explained, "The way in may call for us to perform certain feats of agility. But really, it would be very inconvenient to perform any type of 'break-in' while chained to another person. I trust you will follow and not err from my path?"

Light nodded. "I trust you already know the blueprints of our destination?"

"Completely, I assure you." The detective glanced out the window. "We're here."

Light peered out of the limousine, taking in the site of the back of an enormous building. It was difficult to distinguish where 'here' was, but it was clearly a place of importance. The vehicle quickly came to a stop and L got out at once, his black boots (it still blew his mind) crunching in the snow. Light exited soon after, the backpack still well-fastened to his person. He had to jog to keep up with L who was currently working at a rather old-looking backdoor of sorts.

It was locked, that was plain enough. L, however, pulled a small spray bottle out of the pack he had put together for himself at some point in time. Very carefully the detective sprayed the bottle's contents where he could spy the door's lock, being sure to continue moving the door's handle as far up and down as it would allow. Light watched him at work attentively, trying to discern exactly what was in the bottle and what effect it was supposed to have. Roughly forty seconds later, L pulled the stubborn door open.

He spoke to Light in a hushed tone before entering while carefully putting the spray bottle away. "I would suggest for Light-kun to not touch the sprayed area of the door or its fallen parts. The acid would make easy work of clothes, shoes, and skin."

He was in possession of an acid that ate through _metal?_ Despite that fact, Light remained level and nodded. What else was the detective prepared for, he wondered?

They swiftly entered the building, Light gingerly closing the door behind them. The bolt of the door hissed quietly, the acid still at work on it as well as on the floor as drops fell to the tile. L was already turning a corner in the empty hall, Light still keeping up with the raven-haired man. There was another locked door in their path now, within a cubby hole of sorts of the hall, but the bottle was not deployed again. Instead, a pick was procured and made easy work of the clearly less-impressive lock. Both men entered at once and closed the door behind them, finding themselves in absolute darkness.

L's voice rang out, still quite calm and level but lowered in its volume. "We will wait until our eyes have adjusted. Tell me when you can see adequately. By that time, I will be ready as well."

Blinking several times, Light's eyes tried to pick out anything where he was. He knew that L was close, but that had only been because of his voice. The strain was uncomfortable at first, but a few short minutes later he could finally see the outline of the detective's body two short feet away. He faced Light and shifted from foot to foot occasionally. It was highly possible those enormous eyes of his could see perfectly in the darkness and were watching his every movement. The thought chilled him slightly.

"Ready," Light announced mutedly.

"Good. Follow me." L's form began retreating away from the door and Light could hear his feet delicately make contact with what sounded like wooden stairs. Following him as instructed, he heard L's voice ring out in the silence once more. "The length of the steps will vary and it will spiral upward."

Had Light not paid any attention to the pattern in which L went up the stairs which the young genius discerned by sound, he would have been forced to painstakingly trek up the stairwell. There were narrowly made stairs, ones two or more feet long, and others in between. The railing creaked terribly, so both refrained from touching it. Silently Light contemplated the high risk they would have ran getting splinters from the rail or tetanus from rusty nails. As they climbed higher and higher, a soft sound began to invade he near-silent space.

Furrowing his eyebrows, Light tried to pick out the sound while still taking note of L's ascent. Whatever it was, all he could make out from their distance that is was indeed complex, constantly changing in pitch and volume. Once the true color of the sound began to creep into his ears, he was more confused than ever.

Still traversing the staircase, Light whispered into the inky black. "Ryuuzaki…is that _music?_"

"Bravo, Light. You won the prize." The detective stopped, suddenly faced with yet another door. This one, however, wasn't even closed completely. It hadn't even possessed a lock, really.

"Are we…in the symphony hall?"

"Right again. Tonight features the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra's rendition of numerous Beethoven pieces. I hope you're not allergic to dust."

The two slipped into the room and closed the door fully, even though the action wasn't entirely necessary. Beams of light poured through cracks in the wood flooring, providing just enough for the younger man to observe the room. The room was mostly littered with instrument cases and a ratty couch or two along with several tables. L brought out several candles from his pack, placing them strategically and lighting them with matches.

Light blinked to get used to the sudden change in brightness, taking his chances and brushing off a couch to sit down. Luckily, it didn't groan in protest at his weight. He let out a small sigh of relief. L stopped to light a particularly large and stout candle on the table in front of him, the thing having several wicks. It bought a nice warm glow to the room, though not one of them had a scent.

"Light-kun, please unpack the ice cream and ice cream paraphernalia, if you would." The detective lowered the long collar, no longer masking the bottom half of his face.

Ah, yes. That. Being still a college student, the action of wearing a backpack was still a natural sort of activity and he'd almost forgotten that he'd had it on at all. L's was set aside on the other side of the couch as he attended to something on the floor. He could read the ice cream labels now in the candlelight. There sat his container of plain _Vanilla Bean_ and L's _Midnight Cookies and Cream_. Light toyed with the spoon in his hands a bit, trying to focus on the faint tones pouring through the cracks. It was louder than it had been in the staircase, but it was still a bit too soft. He couldn't properly tell what they were playing still.

Suddenly, the notes began to pour into the room clearly and gave him goose bumps. Light confusedly looked around for the cause for the abrupt change. L, who must have been sitting on the ground, suddenly stood and padded over to the couch as well. He went to work at opening his delightful container of ice cream.

Light hesitantly picked his own ice cream off the table. "Ryuuzaki, what were you doing just now?"

The detective inhaled the scent of his now-opened ice cream. He sighed in contentment. "Oh, that. I opened a floorboard up a little. We're directly above the stage." He held his spoon ever so delicately and acquired some of his dessert with it, licking his lips. "I do believe that next on the repertoire is Beethoven's _Violin Concerto in D Major_, movement one, part one?"

Light started to eat some of the _Vanilla Bean_ he held in his hands. It wasn't sickeningly sweet, which was why he always seemed to prefer the flavor. After a few bites he switched his gaze over to L. The man had paused in his devouring of the ice cream, eyes drooped almost all of the way closed. The spoon hung lazily from his mouth, as if deep in thought.

"Ryuuzaki…?"

Slowly, his eyes opened more fully. Once pulling himself from whatever would he'd immersed himself in, he turned to gaze curiously at Light. "Yes, Light-kun? I have to apologize; I was focusing on the end of the previous piece of music."

Light tilted his head to the side slightly. "Would you happen to have any musical talent, then?"

L nodded, eating another bite of ice cream. After swallowing, he replied, "A few different instruments. I never cared for brass, though… What about you, Light-kun?"

He shrugged. "I took piano for quite some time. I never had time in my schedule for a music class, but my parents still insisted that I'd do something in that realm…"

"How many years?" A soft sound bubbled from below once more, the concerto beginning at a pianissimo. The reed section poured a warm lyrical line.

"Eleven."

"Then would it be safe to assume that Light-kun is fairly skilled at the piano? By all means, don't restrain your ego…"

Light fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, I think I can safely say that I'm proficient at it."

"See? Is it really so difficult to hold civil conversation, Light-kun?"

He sighed, leaning into the plush back of the couch. "Well, you did provide a free 'seat' to a Tokyo Symphony Concert when we very well could have sat in the living room and listened to a CD instead. I suppose I can be generous tonight." Light swore he could hear Ryuk chortle somewhere. L continued feasting on ice cream. Light then said, "You said you've dabbled in music as well, but you never specified what it is that you play."

"True."

"_What do you play?"_

"Well, since you asked that question, I'll answer." L began to collect some of the melted ice cream on the sides of the carton. "Well…the ones I like the best are piano, violin…and clarinet. I never particularly liked brass, but I can handle woodwinds…not saxophones…. Drums are too noisy. Hm…cello."

He had to admit, he _was _impressed at the man's range of skill. While he had only bothered with a piano his whole life, L had gone to experience the word of strings and woodwinds. Light felt slightly jealous, but he'd barely had the time for his piano lessons growing up, let alone any other instruments… He stared into the glowing flames of the large candle on the table, the concertmaster heard clearly from down below as the solo began.

Out of nowhere, L spoke again into the silence between the two. Light had been to absorbed with the music, the ice cream, the candle… It unnerved him that he'd allowed himself to lower his guard as much as he had while around the ever-vigilant detective. His sudden speech almost made him jump in surprise, but Light had learned to become a master of his emotions. He had Kira to thank for that.

"This place is far more pleasant than the last time I visited."

The statement puzzled Light, for the storage area of sorts was less than glamorous. Moveable floorboards, dust, clutter… "Why is that?"

L paused, listening to the concertmaster release a delicate trill. "My previous time in our present location was for a murder case."

Well, that was unexpected. Light raised an eyebrow. "When and what case, exactly?"

The detective brought a spoonful of ice cream to his mouth and ate it thoughtfully. "Seven years ago… He was a face-snatcher who happened to be fond of doing his work to the music of classical composers."

"In _here?_"

"Yes." The fact didn't seem to bother him at the slightest. "I know what you're thinking. All evidence of what occurred was removed completely."

"Still, it's a little disconcerting to know that you brought me to the scene of multiple past murders."

"Afraid of the dark, Light-kun? I find the irony very amusing…"

"Oh, as if I haven't heard _that _one before…" He stuck the spoon in his ice cream. Light hadn't made close to the progress that L had.

"Eat some more ice cream and drown your sorrows…Lady Disdain."

"If you start that again – "

"You'll do what, Kira?"

"For the five-millionth time, Ryuuzaki, _I am not Kira_. I wasn't yesterday, and I'm not today."

"Just checking."

Well, L was right about one thing…eating more ice cream _did_ help. It was no wonder people used the stuff to fill gaping holes.

"There's something else interesting about this room, Light-kun."

"Hm?" he said, still eating the vanilla ice cream.

"I'm certain you've noticed the many instrument cases here and there. However, they've stored quite a bit of décor and old music as well. I myself am fond of the old pieces of artwork and sheet music." It was then that L departed from the couch, leaving an empty container of ice cream behind. He disappeared around a corner consisting of cellos and basses in worn-looking cases.

Light surveyed his own ice cream. To his surprise, he'd eaten half of the thing. Now _that _never happened. He'd be lucky not to get sick later, but now "exploring" didn't seem half-bad. Serial killer or not, he still had a curious streak a mile wide and places like these were just itching to be examined. The candlelight stretched rather far and illuminated to some degree the nooks and crannies from what he could tell. Glancing around for any sign of the detective – which there wasn't – Light pushed himself up and off of the couch, immediately drawn in by a large covered picture frame.

The cloth was yellowed with age and covered with a fine layer of dust, as everything else was. Carefully Light picked the bottom of the cover up, folding it over the top as to not completely disturb it. There, framed behind the glass, was a vibrant Japanese maple tree, light pouring through the leaves. Oh, the thing was undoubtedly old; Light knew that for a fact. The style was unquestionably naturalistic, a movement that had been around roughly a century ago. A few finger trailed over the reflective pond that mirrored the oranges, yellows, and fiery reds of the leaves.

The orchestra became silent. Intermission had begun, and the groans of the boards were all that more apparent. Light cringed when he took another step.

Amongst all of the dilapidated violins and violas, oboes and clarinets, another particularly impressive framed object caught his eye. He pushed not all the way locked clarinet case aside and got down onto his knees to better view it, finding it even more transfixing than the idyllic scene from before. All that was within it was a single person holding a chocolate brown violin in their arms. The person's face was barely visible, their back turned to the viewer of the artwork, though a sliver of what appeared to be their chin and cheek could be seen in the surrounding faint glow. Their thick black hair almost melted into the shadows along with the black sweater they wore, making them seem to be caught in between the two degrees of light and dark. The turn of the head just barely toward the viewer's perspective was driving Light absolutely mad. They had such clear, pallid skin with their black hair strewn about. If only he could touch the glass at precisely the right moment and just slightly turn their head…

Light let out a sigh. He'd never seen quite a peculiar piece before, and why it was packed away he couldn't possibly imagine. L's voice rang out, seeming to have heard him.

"Find anything interesting, Light-kun?"

Before responding, he returned his gaze to the painting that had been such a mystery. For a moment, he forgot how to properly breathe as the subject of the painting had moved. Their violin hung lazily at their side, black owl-eyes searching through the darkness. Had he…been absorbed a mirror that held the image of L the whole time? Finding the whole situation unreasonable, he shifted his own position to try to reflect himself on its surface.

Sure enough, he was looking into his own wide eyes in the dim candlelight. Suddenly, the two watchful black eyes appeared behind him. Light quickly composed himself, turning to face the detective.

"Of course, Light-kun would find a mirror…" He blinked, perhaps scrutinizing his own reflection for a brief moment. "Are you done fixing your hair yet, or should I perhaps give you another minute?"

Light merely gave an annoyed look as he stood back up, brushing off his pants. L held before him the violin he'd been holding, just like in the "painting"…

"I could hardly believe it, but nestled in the corner was a weathered Stradivarius. It's still lovely, wouldn't you agree?" Holding it gently by the neck, L's pallid fingers ghosted the wooden surface of the instrument. "It's missing the bow, unfortunately. Would you care to hold it?"

A _Strad?_ Light stared at the thing dumbly, as if it were…Christ, he couldn't even _compare_ it to anything! It was a fucking Stradivarius! He was staring at one of the most sought-after pieces in the history of music, and L had the pleasure to have cradled it like a child. After the shock passed, Light's hands hesitantly reached out to the violin, almost afraid to hurt it. Clearly unimpressed with the rate at which he was moving, L placed it into his open hands. L's hands barely brushed the backs of his fingers as they drew away.

He took in a breath. He was really getting too worked-up over the entire charade. It wasn't as if he were a child anymore, playing make-believe and searching for treasures. Candlelight was altogether strange and –

"Light-kun?"

It took him a second or so to find his voice. "Yes, Ryuuzaki?"

"I'd like to thank you for trusting me enough to trespass on private property, which even had an undisclosed location and unspecified objectives. All in all, I would say the evening was rather…fun. You're not such bad company, when you choose to be."

The soft sound of strings floated through the floorboards once more. Light could feel the warmth lingering on the violin.


	14. Bouillabaisse

Ack, I'm behind again! Finals are a pain, I've gotta say. Or rather, prep for finals. I'll catch up tomorrow with a double update day. Oh, I highly recommend going to the grocery store and trying to find that Häagen-Dazs _Midnight Cookies and Cream_ ice cream that L was eating. After I wrote the prompt, I pretty much went out to get some and it was **delicious**.

On a separate note, thanks so much to everyone who left feedback! There's even the mention of a cosplay reproduction of December 13, which = very exciting. :D Another nasty soup chapter, yay! It's the last one, I swear. We kind of deviate from the purpose of the prompt, but can you blame them? As always, tell me what you think!

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 14**  
Bouillabaisse Day**

* * *

"Not _again._" L was almost pouting.

Light looked at his own bowl, not quite so excited, either. "I'm afraid so…"

Courtesy of the city's high class French restaurant, there sat before them on the table two bowls of bouillabaisse. Chunks of fish and other sea creatures floated around in the broth, the steam carrying the smell up to their noses. L's face was starting to drain of what little color it had to begin with, his mind going back to his previous experience with a soup. He looked up to Light with pleading eyes. What was he trying to look like, a kitten?

Sighing, Light then said, "Well, I don't want to take part in this any more than you do. But, we have to at least eat just a little bit…"

L almost shivered at the thought, choosing instead to look at the soup angrily. "I am not repeating the Gazpacho incident, I'll let you know."

The other nodded. "Agreed. So perhaps…if we consume even less like, say, a teaspoon instead. Even with your stomach, I'm sure that's doable."

"Then what?"

"Well…that's the only component of the holiday, right?" He looked to L with confusion.

"Yes, but that sounds…boring."

"I assumed you'd have other things to attend to."

L gestured to his bowl of soup. "_This_ is the only thing I have to attend to. The Kira case is my prime focus, and this is a component of the Kira case. If we are just to eat a tiny morsel of the soup, the only thing left for me to do would be counting the number of hairs on Light-kun's head or something of that nature…" He switched his gaze to Light. "Frankly, I was hoping Watari would forget about the soup…so I had not planned ahead in the case that he'd follow through."

_Lies._ Light knew better than that. L planned ahead, created countless back-up plans, and then planned once more, just as he did. By giving him control of the situation, perhaps L was analyzing him again. If he tried too hard to please the detective, it could very well be taken as hiding from the fact that he was Kira. However, if he merely suggested something mildly entertaining to pass the time…then he'd be in the clear.

Light put a hand to his chin, quickly formulating a fool-proof plan of action. He swirled the spoon around in the soup for a moment more before he spoke. L's large black eyes had observed him calmly all the while, seemingly not too terribly interested.

"I do have one idea…"

"Elaborate, please."

"Very well. I am leaning toward watching movies and snacking." As L brought a thumb to his lips in thought, Light continued, "For one, it's an activity that doesn't require that much fuss. Since there's nothing else to do other than eat the soup this seems to not be that much of a hassle to pull off. Furthermore, there is no way in hell that I'm stepping foot outside into the freezing cold to go on some field-trip."

"Light-kun will need to specify the movies and the snacks before I am to blindly follow him."

Due to his rapidly processing mind, Light quickly responded, "Given you possess them, I was thinking films such as the Star Wars saga."

"So you are a science fiction fan? I perceived you as more of a horror fanatic…"

Ignoring the last comment, Light replied, "Well, Star Wars also contains the elements of a Western, a war film, and even the quasi-mystical epic within those 'episodes.'"

"Ah, I see. I'm afraid I've never seen it at all…"

Light could do little but stare.

The detective shrugged. "I never found the time. It may be around somewhere. If not, it can be easily acquired."

"Right. As for the snacks –"

L quickly interjected, "Watari will go to the local bakery."

"Ryuuzaki, unlike you I can't survive an entire evening on _cake_."

"I see nothing wrong with that."

"Of course you don't." He hung his head slightly in exasperation. "Can I at least have a bag of potato chips?"

"Under one condition."

* * *

Light stopped to wipe some sweat off of his brow. It had taken him an entire hour to do it, but there in the living room was perhaps the most intricate pillow fort he'd ever witnessed. Oh, and L hadn't helped at the slightest. He stood there with his quick sketch containing the "blueprints" for the fort clipped securely to a notepad, always looking over his shoulder to make sure that the pillows were positioned _just right_. It was enough to drive him insane. Light wondered though what the hotel staff though when he'd requested, say, fifty seven pillows. They came in all shapes and sizes, from small and round, to incredibly long and rectangular. The coffee table now pushed aside, the kitchen table took its place in the center of the living room. The bed was completely stripped of its sheets, moreover.

They had, in fact, found the six Star Wars movies tucked away in a set of cabinets. Neither were sure how they got there, especially seeing as they were accompanied by a mysterious collection of Furbies. Once obtaining L's laptop for movie-viewing purposes, they carefully entered the magnificent fort through the igloo-like tunnel entrance. The snacks had already been transported to the inside, along with Light's lone bad of chips. L immediately wrapped several blankets around his form for warmth and inserted the first episode DVD into the laptop. He did this quickly, wanting to return his arms back to the warm of the blankets.

"Just so you know, Light-kun," L said suddenly, the menu of the first disc coming up on the screen, "the movies all together will total at 795 minutes. So, we'll finish at 2:15 AM, seeing as though it's eleven in the morning currently."

Light had learned how to deal with being around a single person for every minute of the day. However, he now realized that he'd spent hours around that same person…but in a much, much more confined space. The thought didn't settle very well.

Before he even knew it, the opening crawl began with the strong sound of brass. _A __long__ time __ago, in a galaxy_ _far far away…_

At once, L was transfixed by the film before him. He had that far-off look of contemplation, his thumb resting on his bottom lip. Light hadn't bothered to care to know if the man was terribly interested with movies, so it came as a surprise. He wondered how consumed the detective was by the movie, exactly.

Initially, Light found that he felt distracted from the film. A single thought, which others stemmed from, kept surfacing. For how much longer was L really going to live? His every move was being monitored, making it virtually impossible to contact Misa for such an act. Then, even if he was successful in that regard, he'd still be the prime suspect for the detective's death. L made it painfully obvious that he was still in the running for being Kira. If Light was to be successful in his ambitions for his – no, the world's future, L couldn't be standing in his way. The detective was his main hindrance, always so vigilant, and he wanted to be rid of it. And yet…

It was already episode two. When had _that_ happened? Light glanced over to L. The man had nibbled on cookies and drank some tea, but the majority of his treats were untouched. His eyes were wide in an almost child-like wonder through every moment. The Star Wars movies had been a part of Light's life since childhood, so they were nothing new to him. However, seeing the wonder brought to a fresh pair of eyes, especially on the typically stoic detective was almost…human. Strange how he'd never really paid any attention to those walls the raven-haired man had built, how little he would let slip through the cracks.

The glow of the laptop screen illuminated L's pallid face.

Luke pleaded desperately with Vader onscreen, "Search your feelings, Father, you can't do this. I feel the conflict within you. _Let go of your hate._"


	15. Lemon Cupcake

Sigh. Still a day behind. I'll be getting the sixteenth in either tonight or tomorrow, since my internet connection seems to be pretty fickle. Keeping up with each day won't be as difficult once finals are done and over with. Thanks for the lovely reviews! We're getting closer and closer to Christmas. :) Key events are coming up, so be sure to stick around!

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 15 **  
Lemon Cupcake Day  
**

**

* * *

**

As soon as Light entered the kitchen, all he could do was let out a groan at what he saw. There on the table, stacked higher than humanly possible, were white boxes. Each one had printed in curly script Princess Pastries. Little hearts dotted the surface area here and there. He shuddered thinking of what they could possibly hold. Just at a glance, there were clearly a minimum of thirty boxes. If a dozen of something was in each… Oh, god. He didn't even want to do the calculation in his head because of how much further into dread he'd be put.

L appeared not to notice Light's reaction, though undoubtedly chose to ignore it. He immediately went past Light's immobile form to the tower of pastry boxes. Stretching on the very tips of his toes he managed to take down one from the top. He pulled out a chair and sat down with the box on his lap, removing the lid so carefully that it may have very well been his child. The younger man simply stared, a frown settled deeply upon his face.

Inside L's heart-spotted box were twelve perfect little yellow cupcakes, a candy lemon smiling on each as garnish with little yellow crystal sprinkles around it. The detective took one out of the middle at once and began peeling the wrapper. He brought the cupcake to his nose and inhaled its sweet scent.

"You know, Light-kun…" L said suddenly, still ogling his cupcake, "I fully expect you to eat a good portion of these cupcakes."

He felt his stomach churn in protest. "Exactly what would you define as a 'good portion'?"

The other licked some of the frosting off of the side. "Hmm… How does one box sound? I'm being lenient, truthfully."

Light fought not to sputter. He could barely stand _one!_ "Twelve…cupcakes?"

"I did not stutter. You make it sound like a large number."

"For you it may not be." The detective hadn't even looked up from the little yellow thing in his hands which grew smaller and smaller by the second. Light continued, "What would you do if I refused?"

Cupcake number one vanished, soon to be replaced by cupcake number two…out of over three-hundred. The detective appeared to be scrutinizing it carefully. He picked off the candy lemon and set it on the table. "Well, your Kira percentage will take a blow undoubtedly. And, I may have to use force."

"Force?" What was he going to do, ram cupcakes down his throat?

"Indeed." Onto cupcake number three. He added somewhat darkly, "It would be a fate worse than cupcakes…"

Light narrowed his eyes at the threat. "Somehow, I seriously doubt the seriousness behind those words."

By this point, there were somehow six cupcake wrappers on the table. When had _that_ happened? The detective merely continued to eat the baked goods nonchalantly, not quite meeting Light's gaze. It was greatly unnerving the younger man, who could do little but stand there with the chain connecting them. Minutes seemed like hours while Light was trapped in that feeling of tension, and the silence was not broken until L had finished his first box. He lifted his enormous black eyes to Light.

"Are you challenging my claim?"

Unblinking, Light responded, "Yes, I am." In the back of his mind, he wondered truly if he had really made the right choice, or acted merely on impulse. He refused to bend to the man's will. If he did comply, he'd lie in bed for the remainder of the day nursing his stomach and L…L would be sitting there continuing to eat those accursed cupcakes. That he wouldn't stand for.

"That's a shame." L opened the second box gingerly. "I'll give you two minutes to reconsider, which is the time it will take me to consume this box."

Still resolute, Light continued to stand where he was. The detective remained indifferent and went through his cupcakes like clockwork. It was a mechanical process, really. Take off the candy. Set it in the pile. Remove wrapper. Set it in the wrapper pile. Take four bites, chew and swallow after each. Move on to the next cupcake. It seemed strange why L didn't bother to eat the candy lemons, as he'd never shown any signs of hating any candies of any kind. Was he just saving them for later…?

It was time. The raven-haired man was on his final cupcake. Neither one had said a word since L had set the time limit and Light could feel tension growing inside of him. He watched the process one last time, though L took a short moment afterward to lick icing residue off of his fingers. Their gazes met once more.

"Your answer? We are ten seconds short of two minutes."

"…I still refuse to eat a box."

L sighed quietly. "Very well."

That…didn't sound promising. Before he even knew it, Light found himself on the ground with a particularly peeved detective sitting on his back.

* * *

Tears streamed down Light's face, still pinned to the floor. L watched, unblinking, as he forced the younger man's mouth to stay closed.

"Now, I'm going to ask once more. Will you eat a cupcake?"

Light only squirmed under him again, trying to break free. It was fruitless, however. L brought one hand to Light's mouth, forcing it open once more. In it he threw another lemon sour. Mouth still firmly closed, Light could only let out a groan. He wanted more than anything to spit the offending candy out.

"I never would have thought that your weakness was sour things, Kira." A growl erupted from the younger man's throat. It was the only communication he could manage, really. L pulled another smiling lemon candy from his pocket. Just as he was about to administer the next sour, a soft knock was heard at the door.

L immediately recognized the pattern. At once he practically leapt off of Light. He received a chilling glare from him, but just as Light was about to act upon his fury Watari walked into the room. The older man took note of Light's rumpled state of dress but swiftly addressed L instead.

"Preparations have been made."

"Ah, I see. Thank you very much, Watari-san. Have you been enjoying your holiday?"

Very quietly, Light went to the kitchen and rinsed his mouth with water to cleanse it of the horrid lemon candies that had been crammed into his mouth. He'd narrowly evaded further torture. He remained alert for the rest of the day, and L did little to bother him to his surprise. However, just as his head hit the pillow to go to sleep that night and his eyes closed…a certain lemony dessert squished itself upon his face, some of the gruesome icing going up his nose. He felt a wonderful sense of satisfaction as luck somehow enabled him to punch L squarely in the jaw, despite his temporary lack of sight.


	16. Chocolate Covered Anything

If there was anything that I learned this week, it was that you simply don't underestimate pillow pets. And, that December is filled with food-related holidays. I apologize if it's torturous. XD Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Your feedback makes me smile lots.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 16  
**Chocolate Covered Anything Day**

**

* * *

**

It was another one of those rare, peaceful mornings. Light managed to get quite a bit of sleep but he still couldn't bring himself to get out of bed. L had clearly not skimped out when it came to the mattress on the bed because it felt like he was lounging on a cloud. He pulled some more blankets around his body, his mind not quite registering the fact that he hadn't been robbed of his sleep by L's all-night laptop use or his insistence to start each holiday at the crack of dawn. The sheer comfort and warm he was relishing in made his mind fuzzy. So much so that he didn't really notice the aroma that hung heavily in the room.

He was so deep in this half-slumber, half-consciousness that he paid little mind to the addition of more weight onto the bed. Nothing was more precious than his beauty rest. Any sound that could have reached his ears didn't. Light then felt something oddly warm on his face. Initially, it did feel very pleasant. His mind drifted to hot, relaxing jacuzzis. That is, until the said source of warmth started to run down his face to his chin…

Light's eyes snapped open, immediately catching sight of L sitting but a foot or so away. He held an odd sort of container with a spoon inside. The contents were indiscernible. His brain wasn't quite up and running one-hundred percent, but he brought a hand to the warm area…and met something a bit sticky. With the magnitude of rage only found in non-morning folk or women on their menstrual cycle, he opened his mouth to shout and –

L beat him to the punch. "Look at your hand."

Still sneering, the younger man reluctantly did so. There on his fingers was a brown goo, but it had such a fine texture. So there was no way that it could be that…

"It's merely chocolate." The detective seemed relatively calm, despite the fact that Light had nearly jumped him and tried to rip him limb from limb. Or, at least, that's what he had planned on doing. L raised an eyebrow. "What exactly did you think it was?"

Frowning, Light hesitantly brought his fingers up to his nose to verify what the raven-haired man had claimed it was. Sure enough, it smelled positively sweet and cocoa-y. It still didn't change the fact that he was displeased. He may have thoroughly enjoyed one chocolate cake in his entire life, but that was where he drew the line. He tried to reach for the box of tissues on his side of the bed to wipe the vile substance off of his hands and face, but his arm was grabbed almost instantly.

"What are you doing, Ryuuzaki?" Light mumbled, having not quite mastered the use of his voice yet.

"You are about to waste perfectly good chocolate, Light-kun. I dare say that is a crime."

"I beg to differ."

"It is in Singapore."

"What?"

"It's true."

"You just made that up."

"I did not."

"Yes, you did!"

"If that's what you need to believe…"

Still thoroughly cranky, Light's attention finally focused back to his trapped appendage. "When do you plan on letting me go, exactly?"

"Exactly is very exact."

Glare.

"Well, when you put it that way…as soon as Light-kun is cleaned of the chocolate. I, however, insist on assisting you."

Light looked at him quite strangely. "And you plan on doing this how…?" The goo felt like it was slowly solidifying. Damn. Was it in his hair? He shuddered at the thought.

Wordlessly L brought the younger man's chocolate-covered hand up to his mouth. Light's body immediately stiffened as the detective began "cleaning" him of the chocolate…with his tongue. He couldn't rightly place the emotion, but the continuation of rage sounded fairly accurate. His mind, however, seemed to be put on pause. His muscles weren't receiving any messages to move, to draw away from the eccentric man before him. Goosebumps began to rise on his body from the utterly foreign sensation. After all, it wasn't exactly every day someone insisted on _licking his fingers_. A short tremor returned his senses and he quickly pulled back his hand. L looked to him, rather confused.

Light slid off of the bed, and replied in a voice much weaker than he had intended, "I'm going to finish cleaning myself…"

L looked down at the remaining melted chocolate in his container. He brought the spoon back up to his lips, eating a small bit of the goo. The detective frowned slightly. It didn't taste quite as good, strangely enough.

* * *

Mildly traumatized, Light had somehow managed to dress and groom himself for the day. He meandered over to the living room where the television was located, L in tow. He couldn't quite bring himself to look at the man, currently. Grabbing the remote control, Light flipped on the TV. Children's shows were the first to appear on screen, so he began to flip through the channels rapidly. Boxing. Golf. Game shows. All equally boring. Holiday or not, he'd rather watch some mind-numbing television than cover more…_things_ with chocolate.

L ate away at a slice of strawberry cake, seemingly uninterested in Light or the shows that were on. They both sat at opposite ends of the couch. The detective didn't even appear to glance over.

Still surfing the channels, a ring suddenly pierced the air. L swiftly pulled a cell phone from his loose jeans pocket, opening it and bringing it to his ear. Light didn't turn his head, but listened in carefully. Gardening tips. History of the Han and Wei dynasties. More cartoons.

"Hello, Yagami-san. Have you been enjoying yourself?" There was a pause as he listened. L spoke again, annoyance showing through his voice, "You are aware that you're strictly forbidden to work on the Kira investigation at this time? ...Oh?"

With lightning-fast speed, L snatched the remote from Light's grasp and punched in a few numbers in rapid succession. He could only watch as the channel switched to Sakura TV, the infamous station that adored the infamous serial killer. Light put on a face of confusion.

"What's going on? What did my father say about Sakura TV?"

"Be quiet and pay attention," L replied softly.

Seconds letter large, delicate script appeared on a sparkling background. Kira was going to make another announcement to the world. Light narrowed his eyes but waited eagerly for the audio to begin. The television station had followed orders to the T.

The garbled voice of the killer soon began, _"Good morning. You should be receiving this message at exactly ten-thirty AM on December the sixteenth. I wish to address the people of the world to enlighten them on several things. I'm certain you have noticed the sharp decline in my punishments of the wicked. Not one criminal has been killed since November the twenty-seventh, eight-thirty PM. This can be verified by police records. For, I have offered the world the only gift I can offer that would be worthwhile: __**your lives.**__ Purge yourselves of your sins and wrong-doings this winter season, and I may not remember your crimes on the first of the new year. You have been warned."_

Misa had done well.

L quickly turned off the television, some of the light in the room leaving along with it. He stared at the piece of cake upon his lap.

For whatever reason, Light didn't feel all that pleased.


	17. Maple Syrup

It feels horrible still being a day behind... Nevertheless, here's the next day of adventures and whatnot. This took longer to come up with than I'd planned, but most of the blame can be put on my horrid internet. It will be connected for perhaps ten minutes, then disconnected for twice that amount. Oh well. Thanks for the feedback! :)

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 17**  
Maple Syrup Day**

**

* * *

**

Yet again Light found himself sitting in the limousine. It wasn't a bad vehicle by any means, oh no. The seats were very plush. A TV sat in the front in all of its wide-screen glory and next to it was even a small fridge of sorts. On many a ride in the vehicle L would rummage through the thing and pull out puddings, fruits, sweet sodas, and bottled teas. Light declined having anything from the fridge each time. Now, though, L sat quietly and nibbled on a small bowl of strawberries sprinkled with sugar (of course). The detective fiddled with the controls of the stereo system on a remote, the device already on the classical music station. Some symphony was playing Christmas tunes.

The auburn-haired man gazed outside, watching the buildings of the city slowly begin to disappear. He'd been on vacation several times before away from the area in which he was born, but they'd always been the more "traditional" kinds. Cruises, theme parks, historical monuments, and so on and so forth with his family. Not once had he stepped foot in the woods. It sounded like an awfully dirty place with all sorts of bugs and other filthy animals… Well, it was winter, and perhaps there wouldn't be any bugs. That is, until L had reminded him of the mole cricket which could crawl…and swim…and fly…and just so happened to be active during winter. Fuck.

The detective mutely stared out of the window. Bare tree after bare tree whizzed by, each covered with a sparse amount of snow. Light was partially grateful for the music that played softly in the limousine. The silence could be maddening.

An agonizing hour later, L padded over to the front in order to reach the speaker. The strawberry dish had long ago been set aside.

He began speaking to Watari in the front, Light listening in. "Watari-san, could we come to a stop in precisely two minutes? I'm certain we're almost there. …Thank you."

Meandering back over, L actually began to pull on his often-forgotten black coat. Light looked at him curiously, already donning his own and as well as his scarf and beanie hat. The man even put on those boots of his. So they were going to get out…and go into the woods. Great. Staring at the trees zooming past the window sounded pretty appealing all of a sudden.

"Ryuuzaki, if you don't mind by me asking…why exactly do we have a bucket?" Light ventured as the detective was tying his boots' laces.

The large tin bucket sat off to the side, but L didn't glance over. "Light-kun, I'm certain you can use your intellect to figure out why we would need a bucket."

"I'm fully aware of how it could be used, but…_really?_"

L looked up to him, not quite impressed. "Yes. We are going to acquire our own maple syrup today. I've never tried such an endeavor, but it doesn't appear to be all that complex."

"How much research have you done on maple syrup?"

"Enough."

Oh. That sounded promising. They were going out into the woods with a bucket, an electric drill, and a spout with as much of an idea of what to do as a kindergartener would.

Sure enough, two minutes later the limousine came to a stop. L exited first with Light close behind, the younger man's gloved hands holding onto the bucket that also contained their other supplies. A shiver wracked L's body at once.

L's forcedly calm-voice rang out, "I never expected it to be so…cold…today."

Light rolled his eyes. "You could've worn a scarf, mittens, or even a hat, you know."

"It's not even the first day of winter."

"Do you ever bother to watch the weather channel?"

L made to reply to that, instead trudging off into the trees. Light dearly hoped the detective had some sense of direction so they wouldn't get hopelessly lost. He had zero survival skills and the detective's pale complexion certainly didn't scream an outdoorsy type. It was almost impossible trying to follow the haphazard path of the man. He'd suddenly turn a corner and the damned chain would get caught, he'd walk over a log and the chain would get caught, he'd semi-crawl under low branches and the chain would get caught… Light didn't doubt the man was grinning the whole time, putting him through the hell of it all.

Gathering up the freezing-cold chain once more, Light didn't really notice L had suddenly stopped until he bumped into the man's motionless form. He turned to face Light, cheeks already flushed a soft pink from the cold. The action was so swift, but the man looked oddly –

"We've found it."

Wait…how was that thought going to end? He brushed it aside, replying instead, "It?"

"The maple tree."

Not exactly an expert when it came to environmental sciences, Light looked around at the surrounding trees blankly. L let out a sigh, pointing to one with a warm-brown trunk and surrounded by brush. Off to the side stood some old, forgotten fencing that looked like it could snap at the slightest touch. Other trees surrounded it, but their trunks were bone white with patches of brown here and there.

"Well?"

Fighting the urge to grumble, Light walked over to the supposed maple tree. His hands, only slightly stiff, pulled out the drill. He went ahead and made a smallish hole of sorts that would be big enough for the spout, but he still had no idea what the hell he was really supposed to be doing. L had done nothing to brief him, and he had zero interest in a sweet syrup that oozed from trees. The spout was quickly shoved in the hole, bucket right underneath. It took all of about six minutes.

"Do you know how long this is going to take?" Light ventured.

"Not at the slightest."

"Wonderful."

"Though, it's only noon. We have plenty of time before nightfall."

Would it really be worth it to take the drill to his head and escape the misery? Light gazed at the power tool thoughtfully while L's gaze was focused intently on the maple tree.

* * *

Light brought his watch to his face. It had only been half an hour… The thought almost made him want to weep. The detective continued to stand as still as a statue. Trying to entertain himself as best as he could, Light began mentally going over his English vocabulary when suddenly –

"Light-kun, it appears my strawberries are frozen."

"…Excuse me?"

The detective pulled out a plastic baggie from one of his coat pockets. He stared at it glumly.

"So you thought to pack extra snacks and no gloves?"

"Yes…."

It remained silent for a few moments…until Light felt several small objects pelting the back of his head. He shot a glare at the raven-haired man who tried to innocently nibble at one of his completely solid strawberries. As soon as he finally switched his gaze back to the ever-exciting maple tree, the assault started anew. Not a drop was in the bucket.

* * *

"Light-kun, you have studied English through high school, yes?"

It had been another indistinguishable amount of time since he'd been attacked by means of strawberries. Light didn't even bother to look at his watch anymore. Any span of time felt the same. Whether it had been five minutes or an hour, there was no real difference. Perhaps he was trapped in his own personal Twilight Zone?

Tearing himself from his thoughts, he managed to reply, "Yes, I did. Why do you ask?"

"I just recently came across a particularly clever palindrome."

"…and?"

"Tacocat."

"You do realize…that's two words?"

"I reject your logic and substitute it with my own."

The drill was just calling out to him at this point.

* * *

Feeling rather tired, Light finally sat down against one of the other trees. It almost unbearably cold to sit on the snow, but legs had begun to ache. Sighing, he closed his weary eyes in an attempt to catch a small amount of sleep even though they were in freezing temperatures. With his vision not being used, he could far more acutely hear the sounds around him despite how subtle they were. A brief rustle of tree branches, more than likely due to a bird, the soft whistle of wind, the faint crunch of snow… He cracked his eyes open slightly, only to come face-to-face with none other than L.

He fought the urge to snap at him. Did the man have any grasp on the concept of personal space?

"Light-kun…I have some very important news." Come to think of it, his eyes were a bit more abnormally large than usual.

Light raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"In our bucket…we have precisely three drops of maple syrup."

The detective's hot breath hit Light's face, smelling distinctly of the strawberries he'd consumed throughout the day. Fighting the urge to shudder at the sudden burst of warmth, he pressed his lips into a thin line. L kept his mouth slightly open, awaiting the other man's response to the revelation. Upon realizing that he'd been staring, Light quickly tore his gaze away and brought it back to the detective's eyes. L seemed to be looking at him with a most peculiar expression then. A strange sort of nervousness started to pool within Light's stomach. Why the hell was he still _so close?_

"Is something the matter, Light-kun? Your face is increasingly becoming red." He brought his uncovered, clammy fingers to rest on his forehead. "Hm, it appears you're not terribly cold. In fact, just the opposite…"

He pushed the man's hand away. "I'm perfectly fine! Can I _please_ go back to my nap?"

"Ah, actually…there _was_ something I wished to discuss with you." Grimacing slightly, L sat down across from Light on the icy ground.

Light let out a large breath of air he hadn't been quite aware that he was holding. He kept his calm façade, however. "And that would be what?"

"I thought it'd be obvious." L wrapped his arms around his body, attempting to hold in what little warmth he possessed. Light's forehead had been almost scalding… "For the majority of today and yesterday I have been mulling over the most recent Kira tape. What are your thoughts on it?"

Light looked down to the snow in contemplation. He was familiar with this charade. While gaining another perspective, L was also analyzing _him_. It had happened since day one on the task force, and had in fact concerned the very first Kira tape. Not too terribly long before December had begun, Light had made special preparations with Misa. Under L's constant supervision or not, he'd wanted to experiment with the masses, to see if they'd abide to his wishes or blatantly disregard them. The outcome, of course, wouldn't be different. There would always be evil present, no matter how many chances he presented. Sighing, he returned his gaze back to L.

"With what Kira has done in the past, I think it's highly unlikely that he'd let so many off easily," Light began. "He'll more than likely pick the pace back up to its normal rate as soon as the new year arrives. Really, it seems as though he'd trying to manipulate his way into the hearts of people by appealing to them with some semblance of holiday spirit and forgiveness…which won't be awarded."

L, his thumb pressed to his lips, carefully studied Light's face.

"I see. My own conclusion was very similar. However, why did he wait until the middle of the month to make such an announcement? Surely the beginning would have been more practical."

"Perhaps…he was curious as to how people would act if he suddenly…disappeared. This might be his way of discovering what would happen if something did happen to him." Still thinking on his feet after L's disguised accusation, Light continued, "He's more than likely concerned about what would happen to his 'kingdom' if he were to be killed or stopped. Kira may have been hoping for another to rise up and take his position, but with no action taken for over two weeks his patience may have worn thin…"

"I agree."

Light, needless to say, was somewhat surprised. No further comments, no variables to speak of?

L then pulled out his cell phone and began playing Tetris. Often, he caught sight of the detective frowning. His fingers were undoubtedly stiff and unresponsive.

Light reached to touch his forehead. The warmth from his face had dissipated, but the cold of L's fingers lingered as if he were still there. He quickly drew his own hand away, trying to return to his attempt at a nap.

* * *

Someone was prodding his shoulder insistently. Rather than attempting to ignore it and win a few more precious moments of sleep, Light could distinctly feel icy cold ground beneath him. Consciousness sounded far better than sleeping out in the woods. From the stories he'd read and the movies he'd seen, it never ended well when you did spend a night in the woods. Ninety percent of the time, it ended up in rape. Wait…what? Pushing that obscure thought aside, Light pried his eyes open. L stood to his right, the bucket in hand. He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, the lack of control seeming off to Light.

"What?" Light mumbled. "Are we done…?"

"Yes. You were asleep for about an hour, and it's nearly dark… The temperature has dropped roughly ten degrees Fahrenheit or twelve degrees Celsius, and will continue to drop as night falls."

Light rubbed his eyes, thankful that his overabundance of warm clothing had kept him from turning into a popsicle. He'd been asleep for that long, though…? Damn, anything could have happened in that kind of time! He glanced around the area, but nothing seemed out of place…

"Therefore, I think it would be highly advisable for us to return to the limousine," he concluded. Though he hid it astoundingly well, Light could hear his teeth chatter softly. Were his lips turning a faint blue?

Stiffly Light brought himself back onto his feet. The tingle of electric signals finally traveling through his legs caused him to grab onto the tree quickly. L's large black eyes continued to observe him, but a strange emotion seemed to flicker in them only briefly. It was gone as soon as Light had spotted it, and he'd finally regained his motor skills to a decent degree. They commenced the trek back to the vehicle.

Watari had spotted them as they made their way through the trees and brush back to the road. He exited the driver's seat speedily and opened one of the passenger doors. As soon as this was done, what energy L had was packed into a single burst. He practically bounded toward the open door and leapt inside, almost dragging the surprised auburn-haired man behind him. The door was closed just as swiftly and Watari returned to the driver's seat.

Light felt his limbs tingle at the sudden warmth of the interior of the limousine. He took off his gloves and held his hands to where he could feel some heat leaking out. He moved the digits around appreciatively and sighed. Thank god _that_ was over.

He glanced over to L to see how the other man was faring. Despite the heavenly warmth surrounding them, L had his knees drawn tightly to his chest. His entire body trembled, as if still sitting in the freezing forest. There were no blankets around for him to pull around himself.

Light hesitantly spoke, "Ryuuzaki, is something the matter?"

A moment or so later, the detective managed to let out a weak reply. "No…I'm fine…"

Light could feel a frown settle upon his face. Here was the man he'd wanted dead for so long chilled to the bone. It was highly likely that the detective was slowly succumbing to the beginning of hypothermia. He hadn't dressed with nearly enough layers or other items of clothing to keep him warm, and he'd forced himself to be out in the winter air for hours. The results of L continuing to simply sit there and shiver until they reached the hotel would undoubtedly be less than favorable. He needed to make some effort to assist the helpless man, else he would be shoved further into suspicion and –

…he looked absolutely pitiful. L was the very personification of control, of precision, and there he sat with shakes wracking his entire frame. It somehow just didn't settle right with Light. Swallowing, he came to a decision. God, it would be humiliating…but he had little choice in the matter.

Stumbling over his words all of a sudden, Light said, "Ryuuzaki, could you…ah…well…"

L managed to tilt his head to shift his gaze to the younger man. His eyes looked weary. "Y-yes?"

Why now, of all times, did he have to sound like a complete idiot? Still resolute, he continued, "You're still shaking, despite the fact that we're in the warmth of the limousine. So, it'd probably be best for you to…uh…"

"_What?"_

"Just…come over here, will you?"

The detective still held a look of confusion, but his weariness was dominant over all else. "I still…don't f-follow. I…think I'll s-s-stay here." He buried his face on his legs once more. "S-say whatever you want n-now."

L's perception wasn't quite all that sharp, currently. He felt himself gradually losing hold of consciousness, a prospect that was starting to frighten him slightly. He was never one to give in so easily to sleep, and if he did while still so cold… However, if he stayed in the limousine for the duration of the ride to the headquarters, he'd surely be fine again. He was almost positive. But, the question remained: why could he hear chickens somewhere in the limousine?

All of a sudden, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his torso and pull him towards an even greater source of heat. His eyes widened in surprise, searching around only to find Light's face. He opened his mouth, but the words didn't quite come out and ended up being incoherent mumblings. Damn.

"If you'd be so kind as to be quiet, it would be greatly appreciated," Light snapped. "You'd probably succumb to hypothermia otherwise, so..."

As humored as he was by Light's failure at speaking properly, L still felt that the gesture was completely unnecessary. Though…he _did _feel incredibly warm. Despite his mental conflict he could feel his body just melt at the sensation, craving heat more than anything else. Before he even knew it, his eyes finally drooped closed. A shame how he couldn't point out how red Light's face was again…just like strawberries.


	18. Roast Suckling Pig

Finals week is madness. I'm looking forward to the upcoming chapters because of their subject matter and what's in store. Thanks for the wonderful feedback! :D Silliness this time around.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 18**  
Roast Suckling Pig Day  
**

* * *

"Ryuuzaki, do you still have _any _semblance of sanity left?" Light hissed. "After yesterday, wouldn't you think that – "

"As I said, Watari doesn't have to know. I feel perfectly fine now." Bundled up in more winter weather clothes than physically possible, L peered out of the tinted windows. The grocery store soon came into view with shoppers milling in and out with their green carts and bags of groceries. A few shot some odd looks at the expensive limousine that had decided to pull in.

"After all," L continued, "this will save us time and effort. And I am getting low on various items that are of the greatest necessity." He readjusted his three scarves meticulously.

Light sighed. "You know, at this point I think you're moving in the opposite direction. Instead of freezing to death, you're going to give yourself heat stroke with your countless layers of clothes."

"Your concern is touching. Now, get out."

Fighting the urge to grumble in protest, Light exited with L close behind. To his dismay, L insisted that they kept the chain on…in broad daylight. He began steeling himself for the undoubtedly horrendous amount of mortification he'd soon be subjected to. If he ran into anyone he actually knew, other than the task force…he'd prefer to face death. That sounded about right.

Temperatures had risen only slightly. L, still sensitive to the cold, went for the entrance of the store immediately. Light had little choice but to follow. A whoosh of warm hit his face upon going through the front doors as well as the distinct smell of cinnamon. All around the doors stood cinnamon-scented broomsticks, their fragrance dominating all other smells. A swift tug on the chain pulled him from his musings and toward the shopping carts.

"Light, I must make several things clear before we are to set out and obtain the pig."

How was it that the detective was making a simple shopping trip sound so incredibly serious? Light moved out of the way of other entering shoppers and crossed his arms. "All right. Go on. I'm listening."

"It's not often that I go to shop myself. This is always something that Watari does for me, as I find that I'm always indoors and working on cases. But, during the rare instances when I do shop, I am to sit inside of the cart."

"…_What?_" It was official. L was nothing more than a five-year-old. Light merely stared.

"Therefore, you will be pushing the cart. Our path will be determined by my directions. You will follow them without deviation, and you will acquire all items which are out of my reach. All items that I deem crucial for purchase will be purchased. The groceries I will pay for, rest assured." He tilted his head to the side slightly in thought. "That is all. Any further details will be shared when and if necessary."

Again, Light could find that his only response suitable was to continue to stare at the detective who didn't seem to mind at the slightest. Certainly it was enormously beneficial that the previous day L had managed to sleep for over six hours, an amount of time unheard of with his record…but Light was continuing to doubt whether or not he was really over the ordeal. Then again…

Done with waiting on the younger man to respond, L pulled out an empty cart and promptly hopped inside. The basket was collapsed for comfort purposes, allowing L to lean back while within the cart. He glanced back at Light, clearly waiting on him to take the hint and start pushing.

Great. It wasn't enough for him to be chained to another man. Oh god, no. He had to push the said man in a cart around the grocery store in addition to that. Swallowing what little pride he had left, Light trudged to the cart and took hold of the handles.

* * *

He felt eyes boring into him each and every second. It was positively _maddening_. L, accustomed to the ordeal, seemed to not care or take notice. Light doubted that L would care about their constant attention even if he were suddenly pants-ed in the middle of the store. He would just appear annoyed, pull them up, and carry on. How he envied him.

"That way." L pointed to the bakery section to the right. Of course.

As soon as they were in reach, L snatched baked good after baked good and set them in the cart with him. There were countless cookies, cupcakes of all kinds, strawberry cake, French silk pie, donuts… Light managed to catch sight of the price of each item and they were quickly adding up to be well over one eighty-three hundred yen. They hadn't even gone through the whole store yet! L, however, didn't appear concerned at the slightest.

Once done adjusting the boxes and other containers as he saw fit, he pointed off to the left. "Aisle Three, Light-kun."

Light grudgingly began to push the cart in that specified direction but soon found himself having to stop. Right in their path stood a little girl, perhaps no older than five, with large brown eyes and her hair in pigtails. She remained silent, but where he gaze was focused was apparent: L's cookies. The detective looked back to Light, as if expecting him to handle the situation.

However, it became painfully apparent that the younger man had no intention to do so. Frowning, L turned to face the girl again. His movement was limited with the food covering him, so all he could really do was shoo her away with his hands a bit.

"Go back to your parents, little girl… These are my cookies." He picked up the box, pulling it to his chest. "Mine. Do you understand what I am saying to you?"

The child most certainly did. Her eyes began to water, still gazing longingly at the cookies that L held.

Light let out a sigh. "And you accuse _me_ of being a monster. Here." He snatched the box away from L, who let out a sound of protest.

Not caring all that much about the other man's dismay, he quickly opened the container and pulled out one of the cookies inside. It was covered with green and red sprinkles, shaped like a Santa Claus. He handed it to the girl who stared at it in awe. L had enough cookies, and if having a younger sister taught him anything growing up…it was best to let them have their way, else you would face the wrath of their parents.

A large grin spreading across her face, the girl then bounded off with the cookie in hand. L crossed his arms, looking straight ahead. Light couldn't help but to snort softly.

* * *

The coffee and tea aisle was Aisle Three. Well, at least at this juncture they'd both get something they wanted. After all, L had never said anything about him not getting anything… While L pulled into the cart perhaps a dozen different kinds of tea, Light momentarily stepped away to examine the wall of coffee. A familiar American-based coffee brand stood out with a sea siren on its label: Starbucks. He almost felt excited at the prospect, since his parents were never the ones to pay extra for expensive, imported coffees. He quickly pulled a dark blend and a house blend off of the shelf and returned to L.

L didn't seem to care all that much about the addition of coffee, staring at the box of Darjeeling in his hands. Before he even got the chance to rest his hands on the handle of the cart once more, L's voice rang out.

"Six pounds of sugar, please. I prefer cubes."

Slightly annoyed, Light meandered over to the area of the aisle in which he'd noticed those cubes. He'd nearly had a heart attack when just as he was reaching for a box, a certain Shinigami poked his head through. Not wanting to make L think that anything was awry, his entire body froze in response. He would not, could not, shout in surprise. The death god merely chuckled.

"Long time no see, Light…"

Glaring at Ryuk, he followed through and took the box of sugar cubes. It only equated to two pounds, however, so Light stacked two more in his arms. He turned around swiftly, headed back for the cart.

_The same goes for you, Ryuk. I would ask where you've been, but it's unlike you to tell me._

The Darjeeling was in the cart now, but the detective seemed to be contemplating choosing either Twinings raspberry tea or a new Lipton raspberry tea with a pyramid-shaped tea bag. He placed the boxes of sugar on top of some sturdy cupcake containers.

Ryuk floated over to stand in front of the cart, examining its contents. "Oh, I've been around. Watching you the majority of the time, Light." He chuckled to himself. Light suddenly remembered how much he hadn't missed that sound. "It has been _very_ entertaining…"

No longer feeling any urge to speak to the Shinigami any longer, Light said to L, "Are we done here yet?"

Finally choosing Lipton over the Twinings, the detective nodded. "Aisle Twelve."

* * *

The frozen dessert aisle. Why wasn't he surprised? However, mixing cold foods with L in the cart sounded a bit sketchy…

L seemed to have read his mind at once. "Everything we get here will be put onto the lower part of the cart below where I am sitting."

The main objective here was ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream. L had him go past the inexpensive local brands and straight to the high-dollar section. They came face to face with an old friend there: _Häagen-Dazs. _Light opening the freezer door, L made quick work of grabbing practically every variety of ice cream the company offered for sale. Light could barely keep up with the man's speed as cartons were tossed at him to be placed below the cart. One container of butter pecan had nearly hit him in the head.

He heard a group of high school student that were shopping for pies further down the aisle, talked in hushed tones. Light kept his gaze focused on the bombardment of ice cream, however.

"Akira, we couldn't possibly…" a girl pleaded. "Didn't you _hear_ the video?"

One of the young men merely laughed. "We're not_ criminals_. Why would he target us for something so petty?"

"But if he knows we threw away the chance he gave us…he'll…he'll…"

"Kira's not going to do anything to us, Ayame. Will you just listen to Akira? I doubt Kira cares about stolen sleeping pills."

L suddenly paused, pulling out his cell phone. The freezer door closed softly. There was a considerable dent in the amount of ice cream left in there after the brief frenzy, he noticed. He composed a text with lightning speed, sending it to some obscure contact. Light couldn't rightly make out what it had said, but it clearly wasn't Japanese.

"We're done in this aisle, Light-kun. Let's go to get our primary item in the deli."

Nodding, Light took control of the cart once more. It took a considerable amount of strength to push it at this point, especially with the added weight of the detective. He himself wasn't heavy, but his thin frame added to roughly one-hundred pounds of groceries… Light had his work cut out for him.

Only until they were out of earshot of the group of youths did the detective speak again. "They will be apprehended in precisely three minutes."

Not looking back, Light replied casually, "What grounds do you have, other than audio?"

"They slipped three boxes of the medication in her purse. Specifically, the hidden zipper pocket on the inside."

Light paused. "Do you believe that Kira will target them on the new year?"

"Perhaps. I'll keep tabs on them so that we'll be able to find out."

Not a definite answer…but he was still being studied. Somewhere off in another aisle of the store, he could hear Ryuk chuckling to himself.

* * *

There, behind the glass was the whole purpose of the shopping trip. It sat beside large slabs of meat, such as the massive slabs of ribs. All that was necessary for its preparation was to simply stick it in the oven for a certain amount of time and there was your dinner: a quick and easy roast suckling pig. L eyed the thing warily.

"Are you certain it's edible?" he ventured.

"Have you _ever_ eaten pork?"

"…"

Rolling his eyes, he stepped up to the counter of the deli. The employee working there gave the detective a strange look but quickly focused his attention back to Light. Two minutes later, the pig was in the cart. L held the pig corpse on his lap, poking at it through the wrapping curiously. He seemed to try to get to its eyes.

"We're done here," he suddenly announced. The dead pig continued to be prodded.

Light almost felt like jumping for joy. Almost.

* * *

Sadly, the check-out was to be less than easy.

Light had to load all of the items onto the counter for the cashier to check out by himself, seeing as though L was trapped underneath it all. Once they were all loaded, however, the detective stayed put. Therefore, he had to unload every single carton of ice cream and pile them up as well. Needless to say, the items on the counter towered over them.

While in the check-out lane, L quickly picked out a number of candy bars and added them to the purchase. The cashier carefully tried to scan each item of the tall mass of food, but the young woman suddenly stopped to a screeching halt. Her entire face turned cherry-red.

She had probably seen it, Light assumed. He opened his mouth, about to speak, when she suddenly held up a bit higher what exactly she had been looking at. It was a square-ish cardboard box that was relatively small in size. The only problem was, it didn't contain food. In her manicured hands with pink fingernails she held a box of condoms. Not just any condoms, either. Oh, no. They were even _flavored_. Strawberry, to be exact. Light could only stare at the thing in horror. If it wasn't enough that two men were going around in a public place chained together… Now _this?_

He immediately shifted his gaze to L, who noticed the thing perhaps at the same time. His mouth was agape and his eyes were just as wide as Light's. Oh, he was more than in shock. The detective was utterly mortified. He somehow tore his gaze away from the thing and focused on Light.

Almost simultaneously they said, "Did you – "

A tinge of red found its way to Light's face. "Of course not!"

Gathering his senses, L changed his expression to a mild scowl. "I had nothing to do with it, either." He switched his attention to the young cashier. "I apologize. If you would be so kind as to not add that to our purchase…"

"Y-yes, of course…" she sputtered. The thing was practically tossed into the next lane but ended up on a nearby counter as she sped to finish scanning the rest of the food.

Ryuk's chortling began anew.


	19. Oatmeal Muffin

Oh sweet baby Jesus, I'm two days behind now. D: Don't worry, I'll get caught up before Christmas. I don't have any more finals to worry about, so...I'll just sleep through my exempted ones after having spent the whole night trying to catch up here. Why did this happen, you ask? Well, like I said, final exams buuuut...I just recently started seeing someone. Someone who, in fact, has been one of my best friends for quite some time. X3 So, think of it as a means of inspiration for better scenes to come in this? Yes, things are going to stay "T" rated. Geez. Neither I nor L and Light are that easy...at least I'd hope that was the truth.

Aaaanyway, we're fast approaching 100 reviews! Everyone, cookie party! I've been absolutely loving your feedback! Each day of December shall be conquered, I promise you! How I came up with this when the prompt was about oatmeal muffins of all things, I'll never know...

I need to stop now. Oh, there's a flash back to Maple Syrup day here. Just so you know.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 19 **  
Oatmeal Muffin Day  


* * *

  
**

Light knew it; L wasn't completely over his overexposure to cold yet. His proof? Why, the sleeping detective passed out on the bed right in front of him. The laptop screen saver, a virtual fish tank, glowed in the dimness of the bedroom. The man had probably been doing whatever work needed to be done into the wee hours until his body had finally given up and called it quits. His face was buried in the sheets and his arms were every which way, legs partially crossed from when he had been sleeping. Light wasn't entirely sure when it had happened, as he promptly went to bed the previous night at ten-thirty. He reached very carefully to L's jeans pocket which typically held his cell phone. Light managed to pull out the thing without the slightest twitch in his hands in one brief moment. The detective twitched in his sleep visibly.

Now, it was time to get to business. Realizing what exactly he was holding sent up a shiver of excitement, though. In his hands were phone numbers of perhaps some of the most important people and agencies in the world, and perhaps some of the most dangerous. With those names, he could…. Light sighed softly. However, he was only concerned about one number in particular. He swiftly composed a text to Watari, stating: _I need the key to the chain, please. _Short and sweet.

Just as focused as before Light returned the cellular device to L's pants pocket. He showed no signs of regaining consciousness anytime soon. So, all there was to do was to wait for the elderly gentleman to arrive. With his smooth talking, the blasted chain would be off in no time and he could finally go to the bathroom and then attend to other things. Specifically, preparing a food which the detective certainly wouldn't eat, let alone prepare, willingly. Anything remotely healthy was perhaps L's greatest nemesis…other than Kira, that is.

Not having much else to do until Watari arrived, Light began to stare mindlessly at the laptop's screen saver. The fish would kind of swim around in a believable sort of way and "bubbles" floated to the top of the screen. L shifted in his sleep again, his hands grasping for the sheets beneath him. The night they'd nearly turned into popsicles suddenly came to mind.

* * *

They had finally arrived at the headquarters building. The limousine came to a halt at the main entrance, sliding just slightly on the icy road. Watari would get to the passenger door within mere moments, however…Light was in quite a predicament. L, completely drained from the experience, had immediately fallen asleep upon being…well…for lack of a better word…hugged. He frowned at the word in his head. And apparently, when L found that he was in a very comfortable position while asleep he tended to…enjoy it. Simply put, the detective had unknowingly snuggled against him the _entire_ trip. It wasn't as if he could do anything about it, heavens no. One, L had the grip of a bear. Two, if he woke L, there was a high chance he'd have hell to pay. After all, how much sleep did the man really get?

Cold air rushed into the cozy-warm of the limousine, making Light shiver. He felt L bury his face into his coat even further, if that were possible. His body stiffened at the contact.

Watari peered inside. He was surprised. Very much so, in fact. However, his gaze was purely focused on L rather than their…position. He felt his face grow slightly warm. Light didn't sign up for this.

"Yagami-san, as I'm sure you've already ascertained…" Watari began quietly, not wishing to wake L, "this is an opportunity for rest for him that shouldn't be wasted. Please take him to bed as gently and quickly as possible. If you are to need my assistance, then – "

"No," Light swiftly replied, though in a hushed tone. "I'll be able to handle it." _Stay in their good graces…_

Watari merely nodded and stepped out of the way.

After a long trip to the building and up countless floors on the elevator, Light somehow managed to arrive at the bedroom without making L stir in his sleep. He breathed a sigh of relief, though only after opening that last door. Was there drool on his shirt…?

Then, he placed the sleeping detective right on top of the sheets. If he made a move to place the blankets over him…. No. It was too risky. He was almost completely drained at this point, so he settled for something similar: gently flopping onto his side of the bed, almost completely clothed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light.

And then the next morning came.

To his shock, he woke up first. It was at a horribly early hour and he cursed every known god for it, but it was almost unbelievable. Once some semblance of awareness entered his brain after he spent the night sleeping like the dead, he noticed something distinctly out of the ordinary. L was once again snuggled up against his side. Damn.

So, he couldn't move a muscle. He couldn't stretch. He couldn't bring a hand up to yawn_ or_ rub his eyes. The only sound in the room were L's slow inhales and exhales, and it was beginning to make him slightly uncomfortable. Especially at the point where he began to make sounds in his sleep. They were quite innocent at first. Mumblings, sleepy sounds… You know, the usual, the norm, nothing really strange. That is, until he tightened his arms around L's torso like a bear trap and began to scream. The action nearly made him lose the wind in his lungs and his arms were trapped against his sides. In panic-mode, he suddenly began to roll towards the edge of the bed in an attempt to escape the bone-crushing hold.

He succeeded…and the detective came crashing down with him. The hold was loosened at once and the screams halted abruptly. L was awake.

Pushing himself onto his hands, his dark eyes blinked profusely to try and make sense of the scene around him. Right under him was a certain Light Yagami, who could only stare up at him. He was practically straddling the younger man. The detective remained silent for what seemed like a horribly long amount of time.

"Well…" L suddenly said, weariness in his voice, "it appears I was asleep."

"…"

"…I'm going to go to the bathroom now."

* * *

His gaze shifted to the sleeping detective. L shifted again, his head no longer fully pressed up against the bed sheets. With his head now tilted, Light could fully see the man's face. It was bizarre, observing such a calm demeanor on the constantly calculating, serious, and stoic detective known as L. The bags that hinted countless sleepless nights were still firmly in place under his eyes, but he seemed –

No. This was the man he was determined to kill. He was the only thing that stood in his way, that hindered his path to controlling all of society. And L was close. He was dangerously close to getting him. If he were to make the slightest mistake with what he said or did or anything, it would be enough to tip the scales in the detective's favor.

But why, in the nine circles of hell, was he still watching the man sleep? Surely watching virtual fish swim was more entertaining…

It was then that Watari entered the room. Light's gaze snapped to the open door at once, though the man was focused on L instead. His eyebrows were raised in surprise. There, in his hand, was a sudden glint of light. The key! Light forced himself to keep his facial expressions under control.

"Unbelievable…" Watari spoke softly, perhaps to himself, perhaps to Light.

Light quickly piped up, though with just enough volume to hear, "He was like this when I woke this morning… The computer is still on."

"Strange…it seems that Ryuuzaki-san managed to send a text to me before giving into sleep for perhaps the second time during the night and early morning. Well…I might as well do as he wished, despite his lack of consciousness." With that, he began to walk to Light's bedside. He could feel his heartbeat increase in anticipation, longing for a few moments of freedom. "After all, it seems cruel for you to have to wait on him as he tries to gain rest."

The key entered the lock on his handcuff…and he was free. Watari left without another word. He rubbed his wrist appreciatively.

Then Light set out to the kitchen to begin making oatmeal muffins before L got the chance to stop him.

* * *

Light leaned against one of the kitchen countertops, his eyes glued to the timer. He had about three minutes and the muffins would be baked to perfection. The ticking of the timer filled the silence of the room along with the soft mechanical sounds of the oven. Entirely uneventful. He meandered over to the fridge, pulling out a small carton of cherries. There was no way he was going to touch any of L's cake or pie or…anything that had entirely too much artificial sugar, really.

A question had been plaguing him for what seemed like an eternity. Why had he been so transfixed by the mirror? Not any mirror, as he was admittedly always concerned for his looks, but one in particular. The one mirror that was old with several layers of dust on its frame, that sat tucked away above a concert hall where it probably hadn't seen a person in years. The very mirror that L had been reflected in holding a lovely brown violin. What had been so interesting about a slight turn of the head? He couldn't even see his profile, let alone his entire face. His hair was in disarray, as always, and it hid his features only further. Why hadn't he been able to tear his eyes away? He'd almost reached out to touch that reflective surface in hopes that maybe, just maybe, the world on the other side would be real and only if his timing was just right –

A piercing scream cut through the air. Light was torn away from his quiet contemplations at once. Immediately he dashed to the bedroom to where L was more than likely still sleeping. What if someone, some enemy of L, had gotten in? What if they posed a threat to him, or the task force, or Kira…? Throwing the bedroom door wide open, he caught sight of L writhing on the bed with his eyes firmly closed, a horrible scream still pouring from his lungs. Light went to the detective and began shaking his frame roughly, willing to do almost anything to rouse him. L's hands tried to tear at Light's clothes, desperately fending off _something_.

"Ryuuzaki!" he practically shouted in his face. _"Ryuuzaki!"_ Light still shook him with great force.

L did little more than continue to claw at him and release wails, almost baring his teeth in a snarl. What was so frightening or threatening to make the detective act like _this?_ The thought almost sent a chill up his spine.

"L!"

His eyes shot wide open and everything was put on pause. The screams were muted and the struggle ceased. Light could feel something trickle down the side of his face, but he couldn't rightly tell what it was. L's eyes were wider than he had ever seen. They were enormous black pits filled with he couldn't tell what and he felt paralyzed. The detective let in a shaky breath, seeming to have forgotten to breathe.

"Light…"

Had L spoken? He mentally shook himself, fumbling with his reply. "Yes, Ryuuzaki?"

"Please…see to it that I don't fall asleep for that long again. It would be greatly appreciated."

"I – "

L's eyebrows suddenly furrowed together, focusing on something that was on Light's face. The words coming from his mouth completely dried up, L's hand traveling toward the spot. His fingers just barely brushed on his skin and drew back at once. They were smeared slightly with red.

The detective stared at the crimson liquid on his fingers for a long moment.

"I apologize, Light-kun."

"It's fine…you were having a nightmare."

Those dark owl-eyes flashed to him at once, and before he could analyze what emotions lie hidden within them a shrill beeping noise cut through the air. Both men nearly jumped at the sound after being in such a charged silence.

It took Light precisely one-point-sixty-four seconds to determine why there was such a horrible sound.

"The fucking muffins." The words came from his mouth the very moment he had his epiphany.

L could do little more than look incredibly confused. He was then dropped abruptly by Light, who had apparently been holding him up, and fell onto the bed on his back. The younger man sprinted out of the room faster than…something very fast. His processing power would not be up to one-hundred percent until he had several slices of cake.

Something smelled like it was burning.

Cursing the whole way, Light quickly pulled on the mittens he had left out and threw open the oven door. Black smoke erupted from the thing in an enormous cloud. Coughing and with watering eyes, he thrust his hands inside to pull the crispy muffins out of the oven and onto the cool stove. As soon as this was done he dashed to the sink to wash his face with cool water to rid himself of the offending smoke.

L, at some point, had managed to pull him and his dazed mind into the kitchen from whence the sound and smell came. He stared at the blackened muffins in the tins, not really saying anything until Light finally dried his face with a towel and turned around.

"Don't worry, Light-kun. I was going to give my share of the muffins to Matsuda while you were distracted. Think of it as a blessing for the both of us."


	20. Games

In order to stay true to my promise that I will be up to speed by Christmas, I will try to update like a mad-woman today. I won't update with crap, mind you. That would be horrible. Worst case scenario, I'll get Christmas eve and Christmas up on Christmas day. In any case, things will be up to speed by that time.

Whoah. I never thought that_ this _holiday, of all things, would end up being this long. Not that it's a bad thing... I'll have a short author's note at the bottom about the games chosen and a tally of who won what.

Over 100 reviews! :D Everyone is invited to an imaginary cookie party tonight. I'll bring the baked goods at around one in the morning in dream land, yes? Kind of like one of those chat rooms where you can invite others to join in, except...not at all. That sounds right.

Again, thanks so much for the reviews! I'll continue to update throughout the 24th, so stay tuned.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 20**  
Games Day  


* * *

  
**

Once again, the chain was firmly attached to their wrists. Light was fully accustomed to the feeling, of course, but he couldn't help but glance at the awful thing every now and then with an intense look of distaste. He put forth no effort to hide the expression, but the detective seemed to care very little or simply didn't notice. Light shifted to become more comfortable, currently seated on the couch. The TV was on in front of them with some sort of show where a group of Americans were testing various myths to check their validity. It was mildly interesting but at the moment he didn't care all too much about what powdered metals you could use to potentially make a toilet explode. Rather than playing Tetris as he typically did while waiting, L sat on the other side and read a book. Light couldn't properly make out what book it was, since the title wasn't really in Japanese or English…

L hadn't slept since his nightmare. The man's constant work on his laptop and sporadic fidgeting were enough to clue him in. Whether it was simply because he never really could find sleep each night or he didn't care for having a similar kind of dream, he wasn't sure. Not a word had been said of it after they disposed of the blackened oatmeal muffins. Every now and then the detective would glance over at him, though Light was absorbed enough in the television show not to really notice.

Several knocks were heard at the door. L carefully placed a bookmark within his book and stood to go to answer. Light reluctantly pulled himself up off of the couch and followed. Without even peering through the peephole L opened the door. Watari stood on the other side, holding an alarmingly large brown box in his arms. L thanked him quietly and took the thing and closed the door soon afterward, the thing in his own arms. Apparently the weight didn't bother him all that much. Light began to formulate a comment, but L beat him to the punch.

"This box contains today's activities."

Light continued to eye the box. "It contains some kinds of games, I'm assuming?"

"Correct. Though commonly used by children in America and other countries, I never really played these kinds of games… Moreover, they should be new to you as well thus creating a level playing field." L set the thing down and began to peel off the packing tape holding it shut. "Though keep in mind, Light-kun…in games like these I will show absolutely no mercy."

Light furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion. These were supposed to be kids' games, but apparently L was out for blood? What kinds of games were they, anyway? He tried to peer inside over the detective's shoulder.

The raven-haired man pulled out a familiar-looking rectangular box.

"I suggest we begin with chess as a warm-up of sorts. Best two out of three."

With his luck, L would probably be a brilliant chess player. Light, however, wasn't too shabby at the game himself. He never really had decent opponents growing up, having to settle for random other students in his high school before class started or at lunch. Once the word of his skill at the game had gotten the chance to spread, he soon was devoid of people to play against. It was disappointing, to say the least. Now, though, he'd probably face his greatest opponent who wanted nothing less than to completely rub his face in defeat. It was almost exciting.

L shuffled back to the coffee table and began setting the board. He placed the white pieces on his side, leaving Light with black. Of course.

* * *

Light had definitely suspected L to be skilled at chess. However, he'd greatly underestimated him even then. He was brilliant at it. The first game left Light in utter devastation. He had been left to flounder around on the board with only his king and a pawn or two while L practically had half of his pieces still. There had to be no margin for error for any chance of success. However, once game number two began, Light stepped up and actually beat the raven-haired man. For whatever reason, it felt like one of his most gratifying experiences. He beat the world-renowned detective L at a game of wits and strategy. Needless to say, it inflated his ego.

It was one to one. Light hoped to close in on L's queen. He'd learned that if he didn't take her out as soon as he could…the detective would plow through the board and rid Light of countless valuable pieces. Then again, it was highly probable that L would completely change his strategy. He was probably aware at this point that Light had caught on to his current playing habits.

Drawing in a breath, Light made his first move. A pawn from the front lines was moved forward. L, as he had been doing the entirety of the game, stared unblinking at the board with his thumb to his lips. Neither said a word to each other throughout, save the occasional "check" or "checkmate." Another heavy silence filled the air before L moved one of his own pieces.

Feeling confident, Light proceeded with his turn again…and after L's third turn, he already had him in checkmate. Light stared at the board in disbelief. _No one_ had beaten him so quickly.

"Well, it seems as though I've won," L stated, not all that terribly excited. "I used that maneuver against Magnus Carlsen a few years ago…"

Light wanted to bang his own head against the board. Of course L had to be a world-class chess player. Why had he expected anything less? Carlsen was ranked second, so that meant that the detective was either at the top or somewhere very close.

It still didn't make the defeat any less crushing…

Light ventured, "What about Viswanathan Anand?"

L took a moment to respond. "I haven't played against him yet. Perhaps after the Kira case…."

The younger man heard his last statement loud and clear. Without saying it outright, he was still proclaiming that he planned on catching Kira. But the addition of "perhaps"….

"Now, let us start Battle Ship."

* * *

"Light-kun, your naval strategies are rather brilliant…" L languidly put a red peg on one of his destroyer ships. It had been ten minutes, and he'd lost half of his fleet. This was just depressing.

Light just stared at him blankly. He didn't say a word.

"Is there something the matter?" he asked, rather innocently.

"Ryuuzaki…"

"Yes…?"

"Please indulge me as to why you set up your ships in a smiley face pattern."

"Ah, you've discovered my painstakingly crafted ship arrangement."

"It's a smiley face."

"Exactly. Genius, isn't it?"

"Can I just win so we can move on?"

* * *

Light was confident in his English skills. In his classes, he could always read and write it with a high level of proficiency. It never took much effort, really. However, he was now in a game of English Scrabble with L. He arranged his letter tiles, waiting for the detective to make the first move. He had quite a few options, such as OATS or even QATS, the latter being something that could rake in some major points.

The detective made no move to arrange and rearrange his tiles. He merely gazed unblinkingly at them for several long moments. Light was convinced he had succeeded in arranging his own tiles in every single way possible when L finally picked up some letters to put down. Light watched in anticipation, hoping for vowels or consonants he could play off of. Undoubtedly L would have devised some brilliant, obscure word to throw him off. The tiles were placed down one by one vertically.

P…

O…

O…

P…?

That…was it? Poop? All that deliberation and focus only to come up with…poop? Someone with an almost infinite well of knowledge on a multitude of languages came up with poop?

L simply grabbed four tiles to replace the ones he had put down.

"Your turn, Light-kun."

Shaking off his feeling of…surprise? Bewilderment? Hell, he couldn't even tell anymore. Nonetheless, Light gathered his senses and put down horizontally using one of L's O's to spell OATS, as he'd originally intended. Not quite as much as "poop," but surely he'd catch up in terms of points…

Until "poop" soon became "nincompoop."

"And _that_ is what Light-kun is for underestimating poop."

"…did you seriously just say that?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

Sigh.

"Never mind."

* * *

Another child's game was on the agenda, apparently. The box for the game, In a Pickle, was set off to the side along with more cards for use.

It was now Light's first move. One of the four cards in the middle happened to be "book." It was fairly simple and open-ended. Many things could be placed in a book, or a book could fit into a variety of things. He swiftly took out a card from his hand and placed it "within" the book card.

"'Tone' can be in a book. Your turn, Ryuuzaki."

L's thin fingers delicately pulled out a card from his own hand and placed it over the one Light had put down, thus putting it in tone.

Sexuality.

"…how the hell did you manage to get that card?"

Shrug.

Sighing, Light decided to ignore that stack for the time being to focus on one of the empty ones. Alone sat "elephant." A "banana" was placed inside of the elephant. However, L was quick to put something in the banana.

"Ryuuzaki, I fail to see how Jennifer Lopez could possibly fit inside of a banana."

"Your mind doesn't seem to be open to many realms of possibility, it seems."

"When was the last time that you saw a person inside of a banana?"

"And by banana, you mean – "

"Don't even finish that thought. You know exactly what I mean. Now get take Jennifer Lopez out of the banana or I will."

L almost pouted. Pouted! What was with him, anyway?

Light was about to continue to protest when he suddenly glanced down at his own hand. A smirk came across his face. Well, two could play at that game. The detective eyed him with suspicion.

A cucumber was placed on L's card.

"…"

Music to his ears.

* * *

"Is this even fair?"

L began to set up the playing board, handing Light the playing piece of Mr. Green. The younger man frowned at the piece bestowed upon him. It just so happened that the Mr. Green character was known for being a smooth talker with a less than appealing family, consisting of thieves and a psychic mother who abused her powers. He doubted L thoughtlessly gave it to him.

L placed his own piece, Professor Plum, on his starting area of the board. Of course. Plum was the one known for being one of the smartest people on the planet, though he was considerably scatterbrained. It wouldn't be until all the pieces were in place and the case file cards were set in the middle of the board that L finally answered him.

"But of course."

"I hardly think it's reasonable for anyone to go against _you_ in a game of Clue, of all things!"

"So do you give up?"

Light frowned, suddenly remembering his competitive nature.

"Absolutely not."

"Good then."

A mere five turns later L set down his cards. Light twitched in anticipation, almost certain as to what would happen.

"I'm going to solve the case now, Light-kun."

Shit. He was right. Reluctantly, he spoke, "Really now? You've only visited one room and therefore have only seen a single card of mine. How is that even possible?"

L stared blankly at him. Of course. He was the world's greatest detective. Light grudgingly took the three cards from the center to verify L's assumption.

The raven-haired man brought his thumb to his lips. "Mr. Green…in the pool room…with the lead pipe."

Light glanced down to the cards. God damn it. He was right.

"Next game, Light-kun?"

* * *

"Light-kun, I don't like this game anymore…"

The younger man's thirst for ultimate control came in handy at times.

Light raised an eyebrow. "It's not my fault you decided _not_ to buy the Pennsylvania Rail Road. By doing so, you allowed me to gain complete control over all the railways…then the orange properties, the magenta properties…"

"I have been conserving my money patiently for the Boardwalk and properties for it. I will in time be able to gain substantial funds from it and – "

"Not to mention most of the light-blue properties. Honestly, would it kill you to buy more than just the Mediterranean Avenue?"

"We've been playing this for over an hour. I can feel my brain cells slowly dying. If I keep landing on your tracts of land I may have to resort to having to sell my body for more Monopoly dollars. Moreover, I've noticed you slipping 100's at least three times and two 'Get Out of Jail Free' cards."

"…fair enough."

* * *

The two men stared without expression at the white box covered in red, blue, yellow, and green dots. Neither made a move to move toward it, eying the thing as if it held AIDs or perhaps anthrax.

L wordlessly put it into the pile of "already played" games. Light didn't make any sign of protest.

Twister was long forgotten.

* * *

A hand-held gaming device was shoved into Light's hands. L had his own in hand with a near-identical game inside. He flipped the system on, Light following suit. "Pokémon" appeared on the screen with odd-looking creatures in some sort of title sequence.

L stated, "Here are the rules: We have only one hour to assemble a team of six Pokémon for battle. You may not use guide books, walk-throughs, or cheat codes at any point. Legendaries, if obtained, are not allowed for the battle. Item use in the battle is prohibited. Otherwise, you may do as you wish."

"Please tell me why it is that we're playing _Pokémon____, _of all things?___"_

Still holding conversation, L began creating his own file on the game. "Neither of us have had any experience with the games or anything pertaining to the franchise. Therefore, it seems to be a level playing field. The game itself does have a great deal of strategy, however…"

Rolling his eyes, Light began a new game on his own game. Even though it was incredibly stupid, he still would win. After all, how hard could the children's video game truly be?

The hour time limit flew by. Both men quickly assembled the proper Pokémon into their parties and entered the upper level of the Pokémon Center for battle. Light felt almost excited, really. There was one Pokémon he'd stumbled upon that was almost a loophole in the game. "Ditto," it seemed, could transform into any other Pokémon it faced. So why did he really have to go through the trouble of creating a balanced party when all he had to do was walk around in grass and catch Ditto left and right? It was fool-proof. Because of his plan, he didn't have to progress very far in the game at all. All he really had in his pockets were some potions, Pokéballs, and his town map. L, on the other hand, had played his own game with such focus and seriousness. Honestly, Light wouldn't be surprised if he'd reached the Elite Four in that short span of time…

Now the battle was to begin. Light's first Ditto was on the screen along with L's…Magikarp? What the hell was that? From what he could gather it was a water type, but that was about it. Because his Ditto was a higher level than the orange fish creature, Light had his Ditto perform Transform before it could attack, thus changing into a Magikarp like L's.

Had he not been staring at his game screen, he would have noticed the small smirk on L's face…

And then –

**MAGIKARP used SPLASH!**

_Flop flop flop…_

**But nothing happened!**

Wait, what…?

Frowning, Light went to check his Ditto's move set that he copied from the Magikarp. It had only one move. That one move was "splash."

"Ryuuzaki…"

"Why yes, Light-kun? I do believe it's your turn."

"Fuck you."___  
_

* * *

It was already dark outside. With game after game after game, Light grew all the more hungry. He could feel that beast clawing around in his stomach at odd intervals, growling louder each and every time. He was certain that the detective would take notice of its volume soon enough, and then he could eat food. Had he managed to eat anything at all that day? He'd settle for anything, really. Even some blasted strawberry cake or sugar-topped sugar; they were basically synonymous. The idea of a sandwich was making his mouth start to water…

And then L pulled out Candyland.

Motherfucker.

The detective wordlessly set up the game and handed a gingerbread boy-looking red game piece to Light. A blue one was sitting on the starting point, ready for action. L made sure the cards were aligned just right, aligning them delicately with his pale fingers.

Light didn't really care for candy. He never had, in fact. When the holidays would roll around and parents or relatives couldn't think of anything better to give him than some chocolate or candy, he simply waited until night to slip them into Sayu's room. Neither one had ever said a word about the exchange to that day. There was no harm in messing with the system, after all.

Now, though, just looking at a board covered in pictures of candy…he could barely help himself from licking the cardboard.

At some point or another L had drawn a card to move forward, but Light barely noticed as he stared longingly at the Candy Cane Forest and Gum Drop Mountain.

"Light-kun…"

Well, there went his fantasizing…

Blinking, he managed to meet L's gaze.

"Yes?"

"Please refrain from looking at the board as if you plan on raping it and play your turn, if you would. I enjoy Candyland as much as the next person, but to look at it with that level of unadulterated lus – "

"Fine, I'm moving already!"

"…it seems you ended up in the Black Licorice region."

Blank stare.

"That's a bad thing, Light-kun. Haven't you ever eaten black licorice before?"

The stare only continued.

L shook his head solemnly. "You sad, sad man…"

"Just make your move, will you? …wait, how in the hell are you already in the Chocolate Swamp?"

"I went across a rainbow bridge."

"…of course. How stupid of me."

"Indeed."

A few short minutes later, L's blue gingerbread man arrived at the castle; he had won. Light was seriously contemplating chewing on his own game piece at this point in time. However, it was quickly snatched away before it reached his lips. He hung his head in defeat.

* * *

"This is the last game for the remainder of the evening."

Light's head snapped up at once. Did he truly hear that, or were his ears deceiving him? _THE _last game? He almost wanted to do a happy-dance. But…there had to be a catch. He narrowed his eyes, waiting for L to continue.

"A question and answer game, if you will. We each will receive half a deck of cards. On each turn we will draw a card and place it face-up in the center. The individual who drew the higher card will have the privilege of asking the other any sort of question. Whoever collects the most cards by the time one or both of the decks run out will be declared the victor, seeing as though the day ended in a tie…"

A frown settled on Light's face. "Is it absolutely necessary to answer each question, and truthfully?"

"Does Light-kun have something to hide?"

"Frankly Ryuuzaki, everyone does. You are most definitely included. I'm not exactly willing to pour out every single detail about me."

"Very well. Give as much of an answer as you can without any falsities."

With that, Light was handed his half-deck. The top card was pulled off, itching to be used for the first round. He had to stop, however, as another question surfaced.

Light looked up to L who sat in his regular position, despite the fact that they were on the ground and not in chairs. He remained that way, motionless, waiting for the younger man to make his move.

"Are there some questions which you would absolutely not answer?"

The other did little more than blink before responding. "We will come to that bridge we will cross it, Light-kun."

Ah, yes. Vague, as always. How was he surprised?

Sighing, Light placed face-up his first card. A Four of Hearts. Of course his hand would utterly suck right off the bat. He nearly held his breath, however, as L put down his own card. Surely if he asked any Kira questions he'd be able to deflect them as he always did. He'd done it time after time, hadn't he? The detective's pallid fingers flipped his card over to reveal…a Ten of Spades. Damn.

"Ah, so it seems I get this round." L gathered the two cards and set them off to his left side. "First I must say that I forgot to inform you that Aces are high. With that aside, I've already formulated my own question for you."

Those inky-black eyes return to stare at him. Light fought the urge to twitch or recoil. Somehow that didn't sound very promising…

"Would Light-kun insist on spending his Christmas with his family?"

Wait…that was it? No _"ARE YOU KIRA?"_ type questions? Light nearly had to shake himself from his internal bewilderment. He had a question to answer. Right.

"I suppose so…. At least, a portion of Christmas. But if – "

"Draw again, Light-kun."

The younger man set down a Nine of Clubs. Finally, things were looking up…until it was beat by a fucking Queen of Hearts. He could see a trend coming on.

"Excellent. Another victory for me." L gathered up the cards once more and put them with the rest of his spoils. A thumb was brought to his lips. "Hmmm…what is your opinion on the concept of time?"

_The fuck…?_

So they were moving from Christmas family-time to philosophical issues? Light had a nagging feeling that perhaps he should stop feeling on edge and roll with questions the eccentric detective was apparently pulling out of his ass. The aforementioned man was still staring at him with his enormous black eyes. Light wasn't sure if he'd ever really get over the slightly-creepy weight of that gaze. Scratch that, the _amazingly_ creepy gaze.

Light brought up a hand to brush a few of his auburn strands behind an ear. "Well, it seems like a practical thing to keep time. It creates efficiency and productivity, and yet…it doesn't necessarily exist, does it? It's only something the mind creates. The days where sleep isn't achieved is when the days blur together, thus proving the continuity of "time" and its lack of separation. Perhaps if sleep weren't necessary time would just be…arbitrary. Would the now of yesterday be identical to the present now?"

A short silence filled the air. The detective's expression was unchanging, but those eyes still bored into him.

"Draw again, Light-kun."

Flipping the next card on his deck, he found that he'd procured a Jack of Diamonds.

…and L drew a King of Diamonds.

It was official. The universe hated him. That, or L managed to give him a considerable crappy deck on purpose. Both theories seemed entirely possible.

"Does Light-kun see me as a friend?"

Somehow, Light couldn't rightly think of a response as quickly as he'd thought he would. The detective eyed him curiously, awaiting an answer.

"It won't affect your Kira percentage. Do ahead and speak instead of gaping like a codfish."

"Well…I…suppose so?"

Could they even be put in the category of friends, really? Light had never been one to socialize and go out with others, true… But did friends get into fist fights and kick-boxing sessions, cram disgusting food down each other's throats, coat eat other in flour, accuse one of being a mass-murderer, and publicly embarrass each other all while eating ice cream and listening to Beethoven? Either he was trapped in an incredibly warped friendship or something else was terribly wrong with what was going on. Did L even possess the capacity to feel any sort of amicability, or any distinct emotions for that matter?

And then Light could have sworn he saw the detective's lips twitch upward. He nearly thought his eyes were deceiving him, and yet…

The monotone voice of L broke the silence.

"Draw again."

And that was when the impossible happened. L had drawn a King of Spades…and Light had drawn an Ace of Hearts. A triumphant smirk broke across the younger man's face. He had just the question.

"Ryuuzaki, what was your previous nightmare about?"

L's body visibly stiffened

"That information is classified."

"_What?"_

"I will not repeat myself. Your hearing shouldn't be failing at your young age."

"I hardly think the contents of your dream qualify as classified information, Mr. _I-Created-The-Rules-And-All-Questions-Must-Be-Answered_. The creations of your subconscious can't be incriminating. Why is it that you can't stand sleep, anyway?"

"That's two questions."

"God damn it, Ryuuzaki!" Light swiftly pulled both of their next cards off of the top of the decks. Luck was somehow still on his side as he had a Seven of Spades while L had a Three of Clubs. "There. I won twice. _Now_ will you answer me? I complied to your completely bizarre, off-the-wall ques – "

"Fine."

Light finally returned his gaze back to the detective. Something odd stirred in his great black depths but it seemed to vanish in an instant. Were his own eyes playing tricks on him?

"I was not lying when I told you that I have insomnia. However, it only worsened as I grew older and began solving more cases." His black eyes were still unblinking. "I have seen things in my years as a detective than have far surpassed the ghastliness of the Kira case. While Kira is truly merciless and hungry for what he believes is justice…his preferred methods are almost laughable compared to those peel off flesh and bleed their victims from every pore of their body, who…" L's lids suddenly closed, stopping his own train of thought. "My mind is always processing information and it holds it indefinitely. I cannot forget what I have learned. Each moment when I submit to sleep it makes me recall the things I have tried to force within its recesses. I wonder if Kira has the same problem, but then again…I doubt he has seen a single drop of blood."

Light couldn't rightly find his voice. Mouth slightly open, he merely waited for L to continue or perhaps stop talking completely.

"As for my previous nightmare…" His eyes remained closed, but his voice maintained an eerie monotone. "I will share only part of it."

Light could feel himself leaning in. Had he been clinging to every word that fell from the detective's lips? It hardly mattered now, though. This was the sort of information he'd been dying to hear.

Black owl-eyes found their way to his own eyes.

"You were my nightmare, Light-kun."

A heavy silence filled the room, leaving only maddening static in his ears and the sound of his heart in his chest.

"Towards the end, I found myself lying on the floor. I felt as though my heart was about to explode inside of me, there was darkness all around…and there above me you stood. You smiled at me. At once, there was no doubt anywhere within my mind that you were Kira, that you had planned to kill me all along…but somehow that fact hadn't been the thing that terrified me the very most."

Light managed to speak, his voice coming out weaker than he had intended. "It didn't…?"

"No. The strangest part was never that you were Kira in my nightmare. Rather, Light Yagami had been a sham the entire time."

He had to say something, and fast.

"Ryuuzaki, it's merely a dream. You shouldn't worry yourself over it. It couldn't ever be a vision because Kira has never met you, after all. It would have happened already otherwise, would it have not?"

L dropped his gaze to the floor. "I can only hope so…"

Light couldn't shake the feeling that the dark-haired man's nightmare held more truth than he'd like to believe.

* * *

**A/N:** Here are the games and their victors.

L won chess.  
Light won Battleship.  
L won Candyland.  
L won Scrabble.  
Light won In a Pickle.  
Light won Monopoly.  
L won Clue.  
No one really won the epic Splash Attack battle. XD

So technically, you can say that L won...though the final game never had a victor, either. It could have resulted in a tie.

And yes, I am a Pokénerd. :3 In fact, I had originally planned for the entire chapter to just be about the battle. However, the nerdiness would have been overwhelming and I ended up thinking of something far better. And if you haven't seen the epic Splash Attack battle on Newgrounds, I highly suggest you do so.

Ta-da!


	21. LATBS, Flashlight, and Hamburger

Shorter prompt this time around. But really, every chapter is short compared to day twenty. I'll continue updating into the wee hours. I want to get to the twenty-third before I get to sleep. After all, what would this fic be without the Christmas chapter posted on Christmas? That would be madness, I say. Pure madness. Thanks for the feedback I've been receiving! Keep it coming. :)

Oh, this one was actually going to have four holidays on the same day, but...I cut one. XD It would've made for an insanely long chapter title, and it wasn't all that important of a holiday (another frivolous food one). Don't worry, it wasn't even a cool food like macaroni and cheese or pizza. It won't be missed.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 21**  
Look at the Bright Side Day, Flashlight Day, and Hamburger Day  


* * *

  
**

Yet again, Light had been dragged into the limousine while the outside temperature was well below freezing. He could do little but allow himself to be forced inside of the vehicle by the detective, else he would have to face the man's mysterious Hulk-like strength. Perhaps he was exaggerating, but L was certainly stronger than he looked. Well, he may have been a twig which would mean any form of strength would be a surprise, but still. Light preferred to not suffer through any unnecessary bruising.

For the first time he'd known the man, L was actually properly dressed for the cold. Well, perhaps he had over-done it a little this time around… He had on an enormous fluffy black coat, his three scarves, thick mittens, a gray fur trapper hat (what hair that was visible poked out every which way from under it), and his winter boots. Light had to admit, he was impressed.

The detective pulled a warm fleece blanket around his body. Neither had said much to each other after the tiresome series of games had ended and, as far as Light knew, L had not slept. Normally, this fact wouldn't be that significant. L was known to go days at a time without a wink of sleep. Yet now he almost felt…guilt? This was especially strange, seeing as Light couldn't change what the man had dreams about and that he still was plotting his demise. As soon as the month was over, he'd have every opportunity in the word...

Glancing over, he noticed L was now studying him with his dark eyes.

"We are currently en route to Sonic. It is a popular drive-in restaurant from America where we will complete holiday one of three for today."

Light blinked. "Drive-in restaurant…?"

"Yes. You stay in your car and order from there. They bring food to the car. It's not complicated, Light-kun."

"So I'm assuming we are getting the hamburgers from there?"

Nodding, L drew his blanket tighter around his body. Honestly, how cold could he get in a heated limousine? The detective kept his gaze upon the passing buildings outside shortly afterward. It seemed like an eternity before they actually arrived at the restaurant. All sorts of neon lights adorned the place, cars pulled into individual slots. Menu panels separated each vehicle and servers darted out to give customers their food through open car windows, desperate to get back inside of the main building. Some benches were out as well, but unoccupied and covered in a thick blanket of snow and ice.

But where were they going to fit a limousine, of all things?

Somehow, one slot at the very end was unoccupied, thus allowing them to pull in and not disturb the flow of traffic. Not that many were brave enough to go out in the freezing winter weather, though.

L put his blanket to the side, going up to the speaker in the front to speak to Watari. His finger rested on the button to begin communications, but he paused to turn around and face Light.

"What would Light-kun like to drink? They have soft drinks, water, coffee…"

"Just…water would be fine."

"Very well." He then pressed the button, speaking into the receiver. "Other than my usual order, we are also here for two hamburgers and one bottle of water."

"Is that all, Ryuuzaki-san?" the elderly gentleman inquired.

"Yes, that's all. Thank you."

The two merely sat in silence once more until their food arrived twenty minutes later. Light was quite confused, as he'd thought it was a fast food restaurant…until he saw their order being carried by three servers. Not one, but _three_. L unknowingly licked his lips in anticipation which made Light wonder…what was his "usual" order? Once the servers were close enough, the detective quickly rolled down his window and received the bags upon bags of god knows what. Upon the last bag making its way inside, they looked to him expectantly.

"Oh, yes. Your pay. Please go to the driver's window. He will cover the cost."

And the tinted window was rolled up in their faces. They stared dumbly a moment before noticing that the driver's window was indeed down and proceeded to shuffle over.

Light peered inside one of the bags and all he could see were perhaps each flavor of sundae the establishment had to offer. The next had seven different kinds of milkshakes. The one after that contained more slices of pie than he cared to count. There were still five other bags.

"Ah, here are the burgers," L stated, setting the bag off to his right. "Here is your bottle of water, Light-kun."

Sighing, he took the thing and removed the cap to take a quick drink. "Ryuuzaki, correct me if I'm wrong, but…did you just order one of _everything _off of the dessert menu?"

"…perhaps I did."

"And that's your…usual?"

"Well…yes."

He really couldn't think of anything else to say to that, but the thought of all that sugar was certainly making him nauseous. Light drank more of his water to distract himself.

It was then that the limousine began to back up and leave the fast-food place. Light looked to L in mild confusion, though the man had already started on a chocolate-dipped vanilla ice cream cone. He found himself having to tear his gaze away from the cone, momentarily distracted.

"Ryuuzaki, where are we going?"

L licked up the side of the chocolate shell again. Damn, why was that so distracting? "Patience, Light-kun. We'll be there in a mere ten minutes."

Two sundaes, a slice of pie, and a slushie later the limousine had finally come to a halt. Peering out the windows, Light noticed they were right outside the city park. It was practically uninhabited. Just as he was about to turn around and face L once more, all of the lights suddenly turned off simultaneously. He froze in surprise, primarily because he couldn't see a damned thing. Something warm was placed over his hand in the darkness.

"There is your hamburger, Light-kun. I have never had one myself, so – "

"You've never eaten a hamburger?" Granted, Light was a self-admitted health-nut, but…to have never eaten a hamburger? Did he live under a rock, or did his diet really exclude anything that wasn't a dessert item or fruit?

"I do believe I just said that."

Shaking his head in the dark, though pointless in the dark may have been seen by the detective's freaky night-vision anyway, Light began to remove the wrapper from his burger to begin eating it. Every now and then, when he got an inexplicable urge to eat something unhealthy, it always ended up being hamburgers. He wasn't quite sure why, but greasy fast-food beef patties had their appeal on occasion…

He heard another foil burger wrapper get opened in the car with some hesitation. Light slowed his own chewing to listen in. Minutes passed and the crinkling of foil was not heard again. He had to smile to himself in amusement. Rather than taking a bite and crumpling the wrapper closed in disgust, L was eating _real food_. Or rather, as close to real food as he was going to get.

Light had roughly one or two bites left of his hamburger when the detective's voice rang out in the dark. He was stopped mid-bite.

"Light-kun…"

He didn't like the sound of that. "Yes, Ryuuzaki?"

"The burger, despite my initial dislike for it, turned out to be considerably delicious… However, seeing as though my body has not ingested those kinds of fats and that much protein in one sitting my stomach is very displeased with me. It's very disappointing, really, because of how many desserts that I still have left…"

"And you're telling me this why…?" He went ahead and took another bite from the remains of his meal.

"I think it would be best for me to lie down, and Light-kun's lap would more than likely make a suitable pillow so perhaps – "

Light found himself nearly choking on the burger that had tried to go down his throat. The mass ended up traveling down to his stomach a few short seconds later. His voice came to him very quickly.

"Somehow I don't think that's a very good idea."

Despite the lack of light, he was almost certain L had a slight pout. "Light-kun agreed that he is my friend last night, and one English song in particular claimed that when one friend is not feeling particularly well, the other will offer their support and – "

"I get it already!"

"So does that mean you'll allow me to use your lap as a pillow?"

Damn it. He was forced into a corner. By refusing him, his answer from the previous night would be taken as a lie. He drew in a large breath and released it. Oh, how he would regret this decision.

"…fine."

It was but a fraction of a second later when he found that the detective's head was already resting on his lap. His body stiffened at the contact. One of Light's hands had been resting close to where L rested his head. His burger had been whittled down quite a bit and both hands were no longer necessary to hold up the thing. He felt some of L's shaggy hair brush against his fingers, nearly making him want to shiver. The strands were unbelievably soft and he suddenly felt the urge to reach over and –

He shook his head of the thought at once. There was no way he was going to start _petting_ L.

Not even if his hair was softer than a baby rabbit.

Nope.

"Light-kun, you are feeling rather stiff. Has the burger bothered you as well?"

The closeness of L's voice nearly made him jump out of his skin.

"No, no, of course not…"

"Very well. Now, onto phase two."

Phase two?

Reaching down somewhere, L pulled out some sort of object. With a soft click, a beam of light suddenly was directed toward the front of the limousine. Ah, yes. The flashlight. One of the detective's hands cast a shadow in the light…and turned into a duck shadow-puppet. He raised an eyebrow at the display.

"Light-kun," the detective suddenly said, 'speaking' through the duck shadow, "I am in great need of stomach ache medicine and a nice cup of lavender tea. Therefore, I will swiftly proceed to phase three so that we may return to the building. Do you wish to protest?"

It almost sounded too good to be true.

"No, it's perfectly fine. Go right ahead."

"In that case, I have a 'bright side' to share with Light-kun," the duck 'said.'

Wait, why was he still looking at that ridiculous shadow when L was right under his nose? He quickly shifted his gaze downward though L was still focused on his puppet.

"Go on."

"Consider this: you haven't had to be in Misa's company for a full twenty-one days."

A silence filled the limousine as the piece of information settled into Light's mind. True, he was slightly worried that it was obvious to L that he for the most part loathed the super model…and yet, he couldn't help smile at the realization.

Perhaps he could learn to enjoy the next ten days. After all, it was ten more days that he would be Misa-free…


	22. Date Nut Bread

It was five in the morning when I practically fell asleep while writing this. D: So, I didn't get to keep the updating plan that I'd promised, but... Please don't hurt me! *ducks and covers*

I'm continually confused when I somehow pull of longer chapters with prompts I had barely any ideas for. I honestly thought this would be a mini one, but...oh well. I guess there's no need to complain, is there? Oh, and Merry Christmas! I'm still determined to get the 25th up before Christmas day actually ends. XD We'll see how that goes, eh?

And finally...I got the complete box set of Death Note for Christmas. Excuse me while I explode in happiness.

Finally, the moment we've been waiting for...sort of!

I don't own Death Note, or the lyrics to the Katy Perry Song below.

* * *

December 22**  
Date-Nut Bread Day  


* * *

  
**

As he did every morning, Light began his morning routine by preparing his toothbrush with toothpaste. Back and forth, up and down he moved his brush for each section of teeth, starting on the left side and gradually making his way right. Still in his zombie-like state of consciousness, he stared blankly into the mirror with his eyes only half-open. This was the point of his day where he was the least aware and that if something out of the ordinary occurred –

"_**You're so gay and you don't even like boys. No, you don't even like. No, you don't even like – "**_

Sweet baby Jesus! His toothbrush was practically tossed into the mirror, toothpaste flying every which way. Where was that sound even coming from?

"_**I can't believe I fell in love with someone who wears more make-up than – "**_

Something was making a distinct vibrating sensation in his pocket. A scowl quickly spread across his face. Sayu must have changed his ring tones the last time he saw her…again. He fumbled to get the thing out and stop the accursed song before he would seriously consider writing her name down.

"…_**You're so gay and you don't even like boys –"**_

"SAYU, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY!"

A snicker was heard on the other end. "I thought it was fitting." Oh, she had just been lying in wait for that moment… "Anyway, mom wanted me to ask you if you planned on coming over for Christmas. I mean, I know you're busy with studying and all, but in all honesty…you need to get a life, Light."

Doing his best to hold in his boiling rage, he responded, "Yes…I will come for Christmas. I'm not sure when during it, but…"

"…but what?"

"Sayu…would you happen to know where mom keeps her date-nut bread recipe?"

"Uh, yeah…. Why do you want that?"

"No reason."

"Right. As if she'd let you even lay eyes on it. You know just as well as I do that it's totally kept secret and only when guests come over will she ever –"

"Fine."

"Fine what?" He could hear intense confusion and disbelief in Sayu's tone. Had he given up, she wondered? No, impossible…

"Tell mom that I'm coming over with a friend from college. I've been wanting some of that bread, and –"

"Ooooh. A _friend_, huh?"

"Sayu, you should stop talking now before I unleash my rage and raze the city."

"_Moooooom~!"_

He was done for. It was unquestionable. Light could do little else but keep the cell phone firmly attached to his ear, waiting for his sister, or perhaps the spawn of Satan, to return to her own cellular device. If he didn't show up, not only would be barred from ever eating his mother's date-nut bread again…but he would have to face the wrath of his mother. Didn't that one English poet say something along the lines of _'hell has no fury like a woman scorned?'_ Yes, that sounded about right.

Sayu scrambled to pick up the phone, creating a rustling sound into the receiver. Her excited voice pierced his eardrums. "Mom says to be here in two hours! Also, I rearranged all of the clothes in your closet."

"DAMN IT, SAYU!"

"I love you big brother, bye!"

Sadly, all that was left to talk to was the dial tone which, upon further contemplation, was probably preferable to his sister. Making sure to turn the volume on his cell phone OFF, he trudged out of the bathroom to find L. He was in his usual spot by the door when Light would begin his morning ritual each day, going at that Tetris game on his phone. Sensing a disturbance in the Force, the detective paused the game and looked up.

"…is there any particular reason why you were screaming? Moreover, I'm confused as to why that particular song began to play which had to do with – "

Light snapped, "We're leaving to go to my house in less than two hours."

L frowned. "Light-kun, I'm afraid that cannot happen seeing as though we have a calendar to follow."

"My mother is making the date-nut bread and we can't get it unless…she gets to meet you."

"…excuse me?"

Light fought the overwhelming urge to just crawl back up in bed and sleep for the remainder of the day.

"The only time that she'll ever make it is if a guest comes over. I mentioned that I had a friend from college to my sister and…well…"

"Ah. I understand."

"Wait…you _do?_"

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you finally introduced me to your family. Surely they've been harboring suspicion…"

And that was when L received a punch to the face. Light stormed back into the bathroom to prepare himself for the torture that lay ahead. The detective nursed his injured jaw and went back to his game.

* * *

Sayu, of course, was the one to greet them at the door. Light could barely keep himself from crashing to the icy ground when she leapt on him, arms tight around his neck. L discreetly moved over several feet to avoid the two flailing individuals. He did not plan on getting smacked by any more flying limbs. A very long minute later, the younger man managed to peel his sister off of his body. His breathing was ragged from the exertion. What was she now, the She-Hulk? Wonder Woman?

Now her maniacal look switched to L, whose eyes widened just a fraction. Light certainly noticed his sense of unease, but Sayu most clearly had not.

"Oooh. So you must be Light's college friend." She then proceeded to look the man over, a look of scrutiny on her face.

"…can I help you, miss?"

In the blink of an eye, his sister had managed to get within only a foot from L. The man fought not to jump back or react in _some _way, not used to having anyone in his personal bubble. Well…except Light-kun, which was a slightly troubling thought. When had that happened, anyway? His hands twitched at his sides, but his thick mittens were able to hide most of the nervous movement. Sayu stared directly into his slightly-wide eyes…unblinking. For a brief moment the possibility that she could somehow see into him crossed his mind, though L pushed the thought aside. As eerie as she was, he highly doubted Light's little sister had supernatural powers.

L momentarily broke the semi-staring contest to glance over at the older sibling in an attempt to find rescue. Light was shifting his weight from foot to foot, looking incredibly unhappy with the situation. Could it be that he was…? No, that was just silly. He was just feeling typical brother-sister hostility. Yes, that was it.

Sayu took quick note of the glance he took at Light and let a strange grin spread across her face. She took several steps backward – this action greatly relieved L – before opening the front door.

"Well, that settles it then. You guys can come in now. Sayu approves of…" The girl paused, scratching her head in thought. "I'm sorry, I never got your name."

"You may call me Ryuuzaki, miss."

"Oh, okay. Sayu approves of Ryuuzaki-chan, Light. Nice choice." Cue an obnoxious thumbs-up.

While L tilted his head to the side in thought, the older Yagami child was practically fuming.

"And what the hell is _that_ supposed to mean, _beloved sister?_" he hissed.

"Nothing, nothing at all!" She twirled around, about to bound into the house, before she looked over her shoulder to her enraged brother. "It's just that the only time dearest Light-chan has ever brought people over for date-nut bread is when they're…how should I put it…romantically involved?" Her devious grin only widened, but upon realizing the thin ice she was skating…the grin quickly disappeared along with Sayu herself. She'd narrowly escaped death enough times with her brother's anger to determine whether or not she could keep her life, and this would not be one of those fortunate situations.

However, the scarlet color on his face had said it all to her. Countless romantic television show series prepared her for moments like these. Even if _he_ didn't think he had feelings for the strange man with the wild black hair, it was as plain as day to Sayu. Had he not gotten as flustered as he did, it perhaps would have been an uncertainty in her mind. But the facts were the facts: Light did feel something for this Ryuuzaki character, and that thought absolutely thrilled her. The details about Misa were a little concerning, but….

Light kept his arms straight at his sides with his eyes closed. Breathe in. Breathe out. That's all that mattered. _Don't kill your sister, Light. That's a bad thing. You love your sister. You really do…despite the fact that she's a conniving, malicious, bratty, little – _

L blinked once or twice after the departure of Yagami Sayu. Well then. He hadn't even met Light's mother yet. He turned his gaze back onto Light, who looked as stable as a sample of pure Francium.

"Light-kun?"

"WHAT?"

"Inside-voice, Light-kun."

He shot a glare at the detective after finally opening his eyes.

L continued, "Are we romantically involved?"

The look of horror on Light's face was National Geographic-worthy. Really, it was. It took everything L had to keep a straight face and refrain from bursting out laughing.

"Well?"

"N-no, we are most certainly not!" he stammered. "Get inside already!"

The detective felt a smirk creep onto his face. He began to shuffle through the door. "Your mother may think so, and then we will have to play the part…."

Another signature _Light Yagami Death Glare of Doom™_ was shot his way. Oh, he'd shut up for the time being, but when the perfect opportunity arose… The poor boy wouldn't know what hit him.

* * *

All Light really wanted more than anything else in the whole world (at least for that day) was to just eat a slice of bread and leave with his dignity intact. But clearly, that was too much to ask. If his mother wasn't bombarding L with questions, then Sayu was. And, if Sayu wasn't asking L questions, she would give them "looks" and kick Light's shins from under the kitchen table. The bread was still in the oven and would remain there for another half-hour, so they got to converse. Wonderful. Light felt as though his face desperately wanted to become acquainted with the kitchen table, in fact.

"Oh, it's wonderful to hear that you two have become such good friends, both with flawless scores on the entrance exams!" Sachiko gushed. "I had always hoped Light-chan would befriend someone who'd have an intellect to challenge his own. He's always talked of how _bored_ he was…"

"So, Ryuuzaki-san…what classes do the two of you share?" Light kicked his own sister this time.

The detective brought a thumb to his lips. "Oh, there's criminal psychology…mythology…and chemistry."

Sachiko suddenly paused, her eyes stopping on the item attached to L's wrist. "Pardon me, Ryuuzaki-san, but why is there a handcuff on your arm?"

Not glancing at the thing, L merely continued, "Ah, that. It's a rather unfortunate turn of events. You see, I planned on pulling a prank on Light-kun but it wasn't until after we became chained together did I realize I had lost the key. So, until we can have a new one made…"

Sayu tried to cover her mouth and keep in a fit of giggles. Sachiko gave her a pointed look.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that, and I have to apologize for Sayu."

"No, it's quite all right." He shifted his position slightly, sitting precariously on the chair as he normally did. "Tell me, would you happen to have any tea? If it's not too much trouble, I would like some…"

"Of course! I should have asked the both of you if you needed anything to drink, silly me." The woman quickly pushed away from the table and headed to the cupboard. "Light-chan, would you care for any tea? I have you favorite on hand – orange spice." She shook the said container of tea.

He sighed. "I suppose so, yes. Thank you."

"Ryuuzaki-san, what kind would you like?"

"Orange spice sounds nice. I will have the same as Light-kun."

"I'll be back with you all in just a minute, then. Behave yourself, Sayu." With that, Light and Sayu's mother went to work at preparing the two cups of tea. Sayu quickly stuck out her tongue as soon as the woman's back was turned.

The teenage girl's attention was focused on Light and L right after her brief act of rebellion. Her gaze switched from one to the other in silent contemplation, biting her bottom lip slightly. Oh, gods. She had her thinking face on. He knew it so well that he could reproduce that look with pen and paper any time of the day.

A soft smile settled upon her face. "Light-chan, Ryuuzaki-san, while we're waiting for your tea, maybe you'd like to see our Christmas tree? It's covered in tons of lights, ornaments, candy…"

"Shall we, Light-kun?"

Did L even realize he was playing into her hands? True, Light couldn't properly think of what was going on anymore, but the prospect of looking at a tree didn't sound all that sketchy. Worst case scenario, L would stuff every single candy cane into his pockets by the time they left the house. He sighed in resignation.

"Fine. We'll check out the tree."

The trio made their way from the kitchen, through the halls, and finally to the living room. Sayu led the pack; it was the only way to hide the stupid grin she had on her face. She could barely hold in her excitement at her brother's impending mortification. He'd thank her later.

Sure enough, a fresh pine tree stood in the middle of a comfy living room in all of its Christmas-y glory. It was decked out in countless lights with a hodgepodge of ornaments the children had probably gathered over the years. And underneath sat an enormous mass of perfectly wrapped presents, each with an enormous bow. L had to admit, he was impressed. His eyes, perpetually wide, examined some of the ornaments more closely after shuffling over to the tree.

It was then that Sayu's giggles finally erupted from her mouth. Light whipped around, roughly yanking the chain and L's arm. The detective was forced to turn around, displeased by the fact that he couldn't continue to study the features of a particularly well-crafted glass panda ornament. Light sent a glare to his sister.

"Sayu…" he said dangerously.

"I think…you…should look up…_dearest brother_," she managed to say in between spurts of giggles.

Confused, he turned his gaze to the ceiling…and froze immediately. He was going to kill his sister twelve times over for this one AND return all of her Christmas presents. It was official. He was partially hoping that if he stared at the clump of mistletoe tacked to the ceiling for long enough without blinking, it might just spontaneously combust. Maybe.

L's eyes traveled to the ceiling as well upon Sayu's suggestion. "…I see."

Sayu somehow finally managed to calm herself, not wanting to raise suspicion with her mother upon returning. "Now, I'll just leave you two alone. You still have plenty of time before tea is done." Winking, she turned on her heel and practically skipped down the hall.

Sighing, Light finally tore his gaze from the accursed plant. As soon as Sayu was out of earshot, he said, "Let's just don't and say we did, all right?"

"Light-kun, do I need to refresh your memory?" the detective asked in his familiar monotone.

"On _what?"_

"During the month of December, it is absolutely necessary that we abide by the practices of all holidays."

"But…it's not Christmas or anything!"

L rolled his eyes at the desperate man before him. "It's a general December holiday practice. I fail to see why you're so flustered."

"You should know perfectly well why I'm flustered!"

"Can you cease talking, if for just one moment?"

"But-!"

Faster than he could say "ramen noodles," the detective straightened out his back, thus gaining a substantial amount of height, and gave Light a brief peck on the cheek. Light could only stand there, stunned, with his face rapidly going through practically every shade of red in existence. He couldn't bring any words to his lips that wouldn't immediately dry up on him. Turning around, the raven-haired man returned to his typical, slouched posture, and began walking down the hall that Sayu had passed through only moments before. Light stiffly followed once the chain began to tug at his arm.

* * *

Light, having gained his composure after their trek to the kitchen, took his seat by again. However, he made a point not to look at the man. His mind was still utterly frazzled from the information overload. He could practically see the words "DOES NOT COMPUTE. DOES NOT COMPUTE" flashing in front of his eyes in red letters. Sayu continued to watch them closely, even as Sachiko set the two cups of tea before the men. L, acting as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all in the last five minutes, proceeded to pour sugar packet after sugar packet into his cup.

Sachiko found herself having to stare after the ninth one. "Are you…all right, Ryuuzaki-san?"

Shaking the tenth one briefly and tearing it open, L replied, "But of course. I have a fondness for sugar, I forgot to mention…"

"More like an unhealthy dependence…" he could hear Light mutter.

"Ah, well…that I can't argue with."

"Anyway, Mom," Sayu piped up, "can we eat some of the bread already? I've been dying smelling that stuff bake all morning!"

"Oh, right! Just a moment, please." The woman practically jumped out of her seat once more, going to retrieve the baked good.

When it was brought to the table, L leaned in ever so slightly to observe it. Instead of saying anything to the socially-inept man, Light found that the spoon in his hand was far more preferable to look at for whatever odd reason. Each person at the table received a small plate with a slice on each along with a fork. Still, L stared, but at his slice this time.

Sayu didn't even hesitate, tearing into the bread at once. "Mom, it _soooo_ good. Ryuuzaki-san, you have to try it!" she said, great chunks still in her mouth only partially chewed.

"Sayu! Don't talk with your mouth full, especially in front of our guest!" Sachiko scolded.

"Sorry, mom…"

After one last moment of deliberation, L took hold of his fork and acquired a bite of the date-nut bread upon it. Light still sat while lost in his thoughts, not even realizing there were even plates on the table. L sniffed the sample of bread briefly before finally sticking it in his mouth. Chews were very slow and hesitant…and, in a very short time, picked up the pace and L was already on his second bite.

"It's amazing…" L said softly, staring at the bread with awe.

A smile spread across Sachiko's face. "Why thank you so much, Ryuuzak-san! I made sure that it had extra – "

"…and here I thought it was going to be disgusting."

"…."

Okay, _now_ Light was back in the real world. His gaze shifted from L to his mother with lightning speed, quickly assessing the situation. He had to act, and fast.

"What he means, mother, is that he's not used to seemingly healthy foods tasting so delicious. I mean, with his diet consisting only of sugar and sweets, as seen with exhibit A: his tea…"

Sayu snorted.

His mother appeared to understand the situation finally, causing Light to breathe a large sigh of relief. It was official. Christmas would undoubtedly end up in disaster as long as his sister would be around and L would continue to be almost totally devoid of social skills. He shoved some of the bread in his mouth to drown out his sorrows.


	23. Roots

As always, trying to get caught up. Anyway, here we are with more seriousness than the previous day. The song mentioned in the very beginning is "Gaeta's Lament." I found it on YouTube because of the simple fact that it's sung by the same person who does L's voice in English, and when it went nicely with this prompt...I just couldn't resist. I'd strongly recommend looking it up for the prompt. I personally prefer the second version put up by waterwarp88, but the audio is the same on either one.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

I'm going to have a massive Death Note marathon on the 27th with my lovely new box set. Best day ever? I do believe so.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 23**  
Roots Day  


* * *

  
**

Light had somehow gotten a decent night's sleep. Really, considering the torture he was put through the previous day, he was almost certain the task would've been a losing battle. He never had it in him to check his closet when he was back at home for the fear of finding it in complete disarray. To put everything back in place…god, if she had done as much damage as she was capable of…he'd be working at it for hours. Even though that was incredibly daunting, he couldn't wait for the month to end so he could go back to his own bedroom. Oh, how he missed sweet, sweet privacy…

However, Light not was not awake. At least, not fully awake. He was caught in that awful realm between sleep and waking, where dreams and what happened in reality would blur together. If someone were to nudge him and hand him a cookie, for instance, he'd eat the thing. But when he'd wake fully, Light would scarcely be able to remember if it had happened or not. Outside sounds and smells would drift into his still-dreaming mind and merge with it in such a way that the dream was completely indistinguishable from fact. Thus, when he heard a voice singing softly, he remained wrapped in blankets and listened so that the voice wouldn't vanish if he did wake. His mind could barely make sense of the words, as if they weren't in his native tongue.

_Alone she sleeps in the shirt of man  
With my three wishes clutched in her hand…_

He clutched the sheets tighter. It wasn't a woman, no…but a man. Their voice was fragile. It bothered him, but he couldn't place why.

_The first that she be spared the pain  
That comes from a dark and laughing rain…_

No, it wasn't Japanese at all. English. Yes, English.

Consciousness was gradually flooding over him. He tried desperately to push it back, wanting to make sense of the song and the singer. The words were so faint and hard to hear, and yet they held such raw human emotion. The loss of the singer felt piercing. Light didn't dare move. A heavy silence passed before he heard the song resume.

_When she finds love  
May it always stay true  
Yes, I beg for the second wish I made too…_

He clutched his sheets tighter. He clutched… A wave a realization flooded over him.

He was awake.

Light was not dreaming. Someone was singing in the bedroom, hoping they were doing so quietly enough so they wouldn't wake him. Their voice was distinctly male. He fought to keep his eyes closed and not look around for the source. And yet they sounded so unbearably…alone.

A loneliness caused by too many winters. Winters they had to face without a coat to warm them and a hand to guide them.

Somewhere in the room, L was singing quietly to himself. Keeping his eyes closed, Light continued to listen.

_But wish no more  
My life you can take_

Shakily the man drew in another breath of air, barely sounding even in the silence of the room.

_To have her please just one day wake  
To have her – _

God damn it, he couldn't take it anymore. Light began to move around in the bed, signaling to the detective that he was waking. The song had stopped at once. He could feel those eyes boring into his head. For a moment he wondered that if he opened his own in time he'd catch that hidden shred of humanity that L had taken out for only himself. The light had yet to trickle through the curtains in those wee hours of the morning.

He cracked his eyelids open just barely. Sure enough, black eyes stared from the edge of the mattress. However, the detective's gaze was blank in contemplation. The moment was gone.

"Ryuuzaki…?" he mumbled, still feigning just being roused from sleep.

"Yes?" The monotone was back.

Damn again.

"What's…the holiday for today…?"

L paused, as if unwilling to answer him. "Roots Day."

Light pushed himself up to a sitting position and rubbed his eye. Well, he may have not been actually sleeping for the past couple of minutes, but that didn't mean he was any less groggy. Was there any correlation between the song and…? Frowning, he returned his gaze to the detective.

"Please tell me it doesn't have anything to do with plants."

L shrugged visibly. "Unless Light-kun counts a family tree as a plant…"

The processing power of Light's brain suddenly kicked into gear. Loneliness. Family. L. He had never talked about visiting his own parents for the holidays. Where were they…? Was there any correlation with the song? He'd never known L to sing. Had he done so before, while Light lied in bed asleep?

"So," Light paused to yawn, then continued, "what should I be doing, then?"

"Tell me something about your younger years. Anything will be fine."

"That's it…?"

"Yes."

"Just some boring old story from then I was so-and-so years old?"

"I believe that is what I said."

"Fine, well…" He was too tired to care if the detective was going to use it as a ploy to see how his past could've shaped him into the infamous mass-murderer. Such analyzing was useless, anyway. "When I was in elementary school, my mother would make me sandwiches shaped like hearts every day. There. Is that enough?"

L blinked. Nothing more. "Was Light-kun ever bullied?"

He gave the detective an odd look. "No, not really. Even if others in my schools had wanted to, I'm sure the fact that my father was the chief of police loomed over their heads."

"Fair enough. Did you favor any particular toy as a child?"

These questions seemed far too planned. That, or L was extremely good at procuring personal questions at a moment's notice. Neither settled with the younger man very well. He wasn't leaving any openings for Light to get a word in to ask _him_ about something. Perhaps…that was it. L would dish out question after question to distract Light from himself. A diversion tactic.

Nevertheless, Light answered once more. "I read books more than I played with toys…but…maybe there was one toy. I lost it when I was about five." He'd momentarily forgotten about L's ulterior motives and gazed listlessly down at the comforter, digging through his memory banks. "It was a stuffed bear, there was nothing too special about it…but it was soft. Really soft, actually."

"What about – "

"Ryuuzaki, what was your childhood like?"

L's mouth still remained slightly open, caught off-guard.

"That information is classified."

Light rolled his eyes. "Is that your answer to anything that involves you personally?"

"There are things which I simply cannot share, Light-kun."

"Oh? And what happened to 'we have to follow the rules of the holidays to the T', hm?"

The detective frowned. A tense silence filled the air while both stared each other down. His owl-like eyes Light's for what seemed like an eternity before standing. And, for one fleeting moment, Light could've sworn he saw fear flicker in those depths. But why was it there…?

"Let's get some coffee, Light-kun," L stated. "I've been trapped in the bedroom for hours while you slept." He had already begun walking toward the door, pulling on Light's arm behind him.

Light quickly stumbled off of the bed, following the raven-haired man as he shuffled into the kitchen. He was too perplexed to feel annoyance, really. L went to work at measuring water and coffee grounds the second they arrived. It seemed as though he thought one milliliter of water less would impact the coffee so greatly that he had to make sure the accuracy of each cup rivaled a chemist's own work. Light merely leaned against a counter as L continued to busy himself needlessly.

Once everything was in place and the "on" button was pressed, L turned around to face the younger man.

"Light-kun, please listen carefully because I don't intend on repeating myself…nor do I plan on going into detail. Do you understand?"

The younger man's eyebrows furrowed together. "All right… Go ahead, then." He could feel anticipation rising in his chest. Were L's parents famous? Did they know their son was L, of all people? Where did they live? Did he have any brothers or sisters? Where did he go to school? Pets? Questions swirled around in Light's mind until they threatened to make him dizzy.

It was then he realized that he knew little about L.

L lifted his eyes to stare into Light's once more. They did not stray from there, nor did he blink once.

"My father died when I was five and my mother died when I was eight. I lived in orphanages until I was eleven. I solved my first case at fourteen. That is all I care to disclose with you at the present time."

Light barely could comprehend that he started saying until it was too late.

"Was the song about her?"

L's entire body went rigid at once. His eyes, however, remained fixed on Light and unchanging.

"What song?" the raven-haired man asked. His voice was as calm and collected as always, and yet…

Swallowing, Light spoke again. It was far too late to turn back, and he began to hunger for answers. "The song you were singing in the bedroom while I slept."

L's voice almost cracked. Almost. "You heard…? How much did you hear?"

"Most of it, I think… Was it about your mother?"

It was then that the detective finally tore his gaze from Light's eyes to look at his feet instead. A soft "yes" was mumbled. The younger man took a step forward, but L's voice rang out again, but far more clear.

He still did not meet Light's gaze.

"She slowly died of pancreatic cancer. She was…all I had left."

For a moment, Light thought of growing up without his father…and then losing his own mother? Watching her waste away in a hospital bed, still a kid and unable to do anything. No Sayu to provide support. The thought actually frightened him. Death Note or not, to lose those things that had been constants his entire life…

L had lost everything.

He wasn't a letter on a screen. He wasn't a crime-solving machine. He wasn't an unfeeling robot.

He was a human being who had lost all things that were familiar to him at the tender age of eight.

Suddenly, Light forgot for a few moments that he owned a notebook that could kill. He forgot he was Kira and that L was the world-famous detective out to put him away in prison for the rest of his life. Standing in the kitchen was only Light Yagami and L.

Light found himself taking slow steps toward the detective. The man's pallid fingers tightened slightly on the counter behind him upon noticing Light's advancement. And, just as he began to lift his chin to search for the younger man's face a pair of arms wrapped around his chest. Whatever thought that began to form in his endlessly-processing mind vanished. All he could feel was a warmth around him, the sudden sensation making him release a shiver. His face was pressed against the cotton fabric of Light's sleeping-shirt. He could hear his heart beat softly and –

No…

L finally found himself able to respond, bringing his hands to push against the youth's chest. Light stumbled back, confusion written on his face.

Before he even had a chance to give Light a verbal-lashing, the younger man had beat him to the punch. There was no malice or annoyance…only perhaps a small amount of disappointment. A damper went immediately on his rising anger.

"Ryuuzaki, it seems the reason to me why you still have nothing…is because you are continually pushing people away."

L could find no comeback. No retort. Nothing that could disprove Light's claim. Words tumbled from his open mouth.

"You're right."

The statement said out-loud…by himself, no less…frightened him all he more. It was a truth that he'd put off the side and desperately forgotten while he busied himself day after day. There was no time to feel alone when working a case. There was no time to keep friendships or other frivolous personal bonds.

L quickly filled in the gap that had been created between the two men mere moments before. He buried his face in Light's shirt and clutched tightly. The other man did not struggle against L's desperation but he could feel his heartbeat quicken against his forehead. One hand left its place resting on the detective's hunched back and for a brief second L feared that Light would draw away…until it came back down to rest on top of his head, but not without hesitation. He only allowed his eyes to droop and his muscles to loosen until that hand gently began to stroke his hair, just as his mother had. L released a soft sigh.

The sun finally began to peer over the horizon, its rays slowly filtering into the silent kitchen.


	24. Eggnog and Christmas Eve

Because of my Death Note marathon and Birthday Party-ing it up (not my birthday, though), I have gotten even farther behind. XD Oh well. Hopefully this chapter will make all forgiven? I made it super-special and stuff. Don't worry, Christmas is going to be exciting.

But there is one section below where there's a number of different languages, but it's all the same phrase. If you happen to be fluent in one of those and you see a mistake in translation, please feel free to let me know so I can correct it! I just used Google translator. XD So, for instance, I'd like it to be something along the lines of "Line three which is blah-blah should be Blah blah blah blah..."

This time around, I was listening to _Storytime_ from the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack. Well, that one in particular from that CD. I adore Elfman, and this soundtrack fit the mood of the chapter (for the most part) very well indeed.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 24**  
Eggnog Day and Christmas Eve  


* * *

  
**

The over-all atmosphere was…different, to say the least.

Upon waking that morning, Light could feel the change. It was almost like those mornings when you knew, even before leaving the house, that it was destined to be a rainy day. But was the change surprising? In retrospect, no, not really. Up until Wednesday he hadn't been kissed (on the cheek) by the world's most famous detective, nor had he practically been cuddling the traumatized man. Months ago (which seemed like an eternity now) he hadn't really been told of this being in the job description of a task force member. Would he still have joined had he known what was in store? In all honesty, Light couldn't rightly answer that one (other than with 42). Did he regret getting involved with the case to get closer to L? Initially, "closer" meant he would actually see the man's face and somehow find out his name to get it written in his Death Note, thus removing his greatest impediment. Now, though…was he _too_ close?

He agreed with L that they were friends.

Was that true? Had he just said that to appease the owl-eyed man, to deflect more nosy questions? Sadly, Light found that his dedication to academics had left him with not quite that active of a social life. He'd never had quite a "best friend" that tagged along all of the time, shared secrets with him, or just did things in general with. His nights were spent with text books instead of at movies.

Stretching as he did so, Light managed to sit up in bed. He wearily looked around for the detective, following the chain with his eyes…and found that he was cuffed to the bed, all alone in the bedroom. That in itself was particularly odd because L rarely, if not never, let him out of his sight or a chain's length away. Light was without L in a bedroom, left to his own devices. Privacy. The word sounded beautiful.

However…there was one thing he felt that was especially necessary before L waltzed back in. He had to get to the internet to check something of the utmost importance. L's laptop was never going to happen… Not only did that thing require a password (that changed _daily_) and a fingerprint scan to unlock it, but also specially added voice recognition and an eye scan. And, as he'd overheard, if any one of the methods were failed three times, the computer would immediately wipe itself of all data. L made sure there would be absolutely no way for his valuable information to fall into the wrong hands.

So, that left Light's own cell phone. He could access the internet but…his speed on it would be painfully slow and there was a good chance that his father would want to strangle him for it. Light was mercifully still on his family's cell phone plan, which meant he evaded paying for service, but if he were to use the internet on his phone which wasn't covered on their plan he'd more than likely be quartered. Still, if he spent, say, five minutes it surely wouldn't hurt.

After using the all-powerful search engine known as Google, Light clicked on the number one result of his search: "How To Find True Friends (8 Qualities of a Good Friend)." Taking a deep breath he read on.

**1. A good friend is honest. **

Well…L seemed to be for the most part a source of truth. Granted, the man didn't talk about his findings that pointed towards Light being Kira or anything like that, but he was one to stick to facts otherwise. If something smelled positively nasty and he wanted no part in it, he most certainly made sure to inform Light. And, most recently, he told him about his own upbringing.

Light had to shake his head, having quickly lost himself in contemplation over the twenty-third. The day where L finally acted like a human being.

But…that was just one sign. There were still more. He wasn't convinced, not just yet.

**2. A good friend is fun, unique, and interesting. **

"Unique" was certainly a good way to put it. No one sat on a chair like L did, held a cell phone so strangely, ate exclusively sweets and fruits, never slept, went barefoot as often as possible, hunched their backs constantly, _and_ wore practically the same clothes every single day while being the opposite of a bum (in other words, filthy stinking rich). Interesting? Once again, well qualified. The man played all kinds of instruments, more than likely knew far too many languages, was well versed in Shakespeare, had a deep understanding of philosophy, could pick out the smallest of details and analyze them, fought on par with box-office martial arts fighters, had enormous black eyes that constantly scrutinized anything and everything, and…okay, he needed to stop.

Fun? Well, that he was a little more reluctant to look into. Fun people, to Light at least, possessed a sort of aura that exuded happiness and were over-all pleasant people. L was no longer quite the scourge of the earth in his eyes, but he didn't really…exude. But they had gone to the circus…and managed to listen to a free classical music performance while eating ice cream…and played board games…and –

God damn it!

Hesitantly, he scrolled down to number three.

**3. A good friend is attentive and adaptable. **

Ha, if there was anything L was the most skilled at, it was paying attention. To everything. He was almost scared shitless one morning when L commented that he noticed how Light brushed his hair with forty-five strokes that morning opposed to his usual fifty. Yes, L definitely did not lack attentiveness.

Wait, why was he still agreeing with these things? Frowning, he moved on to the next one, not bothering with three's second component.

**4. A good friend is supportive of you and your goals. **

Light found that he started chuckling to himself right off the bat. Supportive of _his_ goals? Oh, that certainly couldn't be farther from the truth. He finally felt some relief. If L truly was a "good friend" as classified by the website, then the world would've been in the palm of his hand already.

**5. A good friend is a friend you can trust. **

Hmmm… Well, it was best to probably stick with the specific characteristics they had listed. Did L try to steal his girlfriend? Nope. There had to be something seriously wrong with him if he did… Anyway. He wasn't trying to steal Light's "job," seeing as though L was his employer of sorts. He doubted L wanted to steal his personality, however that was supposed to work. Did L gossip? Ha. That was a funny sight to imagine. Did L try to damage his reputation? Now he was getting somewhere! If accusing him of being Kira every five seconds wasn't damaging to Light's reputation, he didn't know _what_ was. Did L stick up for him when he was in trouble? Light scratched the back of his head, unable to find any facts to agree or disagree that were all that significant. Most of the time, it was usually _him_ dragging L out of situations…

**6. A good friend makes it clear they care about you. **

…moving on.

**7. A good friend sticks with you in good times and bad. **

It was debatable that the chain kind of prevented L from _not _being around. Though he did willingly go to Light's house.

And stayed out in the freezing cold in the middle of a forest with him.

And snuck into the concert hall with ice cream.

And decorated a Christmas tree. And went through the trials of a grocery store.

And –

Oh god. Stop it. He had to stop that train of thought. Immediately. Was this thing even still helping him at the slightest?

**8. A good friend accepts you for who you are, even when you're being a butthead. **

Light banged his head against the wall behind the bed.

"Fuck."

**_Thunk._**

"Fuck."

**_Thunk. _**

"Fuck."

**_Th-_**

"Hey, Light!" came the rumbling voice of Ryuk from the ceiling.

Light couldn't help but let out a yelp in surprise. The Shinigami chuckled.

_Why the hell did you scare me like that! _

He didn't want to risk speaking, even when he was seemingly alone with Ryuk.

"I thought it would be fun…and it was. Say, why were you banging your head just then? I heard it kills human's brain cells…"

_I just came to a sudden, crushing realization. But surely you should know what it is by now, seeing as though my life is merely your own personal soap opera which you hardly feel a need to save me from._

The auburn-haired man sent a glare to Ryuk, which proved to be incredibly ineffective.

"Hmmm, no. I don't. Go ahead and tell me, will you?"

Light rested his face in his hands, still processing his information.

_I think…I'm actually friends with L._

There was absolute silence…and then the death god burst into guffaws. Light's face stayed firmly planted in his hands, not making any effort to make Ryuk cease. It'd only be useless.

And then the door opened. Light peered through his fingers, spotting L in the doorway. The detective eyed him curiously.

"Are you quite all right, Light-kun?"

The younger man straightened back up, hands resting on his lap. "Yep. Totally and completely fine."

"That's good. We have to start our preparations for Christmas and Santa's arrival, you know."

"Wait…what? Did you just say _'Santa's arrival?'_"

"Yes."

"You…do know that he doesn't exist, right?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Just checking to make sure you're not in elementary school, is all."

* * *

Light looked at the items on the kitchen table with some skepticism. "I fail to see how this relates to today…at all."

"Nonsense, Light-kun. It's common for many cultures on the day proceeding Christmas to opt for meals which they don't have to make themselves, thus ordering out."

"But…pizza? _You _don't even like pizza!"

Though the detective had his back facing him as he began opening the steaming cardboard boxes, he could just hear the smirk in his voice.

"That's why I ordered cinnamon sticks with frosting dip instead."

Joy. He had a greasy pizza all to himself. Swallowing rather hard, he peered into the contents of the main box and…it was a veggie pizza. He blinked a few times, believing that it was surely an illusion. It had to be covered in sardines, beef, bacon, anything. Not that he wanted those things, but…L ordered a veggie pizza?

It turned out to be not such a horrid breakfast experience after all.

* * *

"Listen very carefully, Light-kun."

"I'm listening."

"There is no room for error."

"…okay."

"If we make the slightest mistake, all of our efforts will be wasted."

"I understand that already…"

"One milligram can – "

"Ryuuzaki."

"Yes, Light-kun?"

"Can we get on with this, already? It's _reindeer food_."

"Very well, then."

With that, L pulled onto the counter a good-sized brown paper bag and dumped out its contents. There were several plastic containers of green and red glitter as well as a couple dozen oatmeal packets. He carefully began to sort them out, the oatmeal in one pile and the different colored glitter containers stacked upon each other. Light seemed to be eying the glitter strangely.

"Is there something the matter, Light-kun?" he inquired, not even looking up.

How did he even…? Never mind. This shouldn't surprise him anymore.

"Why glitter? Isn't that made of things like…plastic…and glass?" Hardly edible, he thought.

"Interesting." L pulled out a large purple mixing bowl from a cabinet close-by. He set it on the table. "It sounds as though you're concerned for the well-being of Santa's reindeer…"

Oh, wait. He was right.

Damn.

"Then why are we making it in the first place if it's for nonexistent reindeer, as you just pointed out?" He crossed his arms.

L merely shrugged. "It's fun."

Light blinked…and then blinked once more. L was doing something pointless and illogical for the sake of _fun?_ Was the world going to come to an end?

A container of green glitter was popped open by the detective. "Light-kun, please pour the packets of oatmeal into the bowl. If there does happen to be a Santa visit tonight, Kira or not, this should atone for some of your sins from this year. I repeat, _some._"

Sighing, the younger man began to comply. He ripped open packet after packet of oatmeal, pouring each into the enormous bowl. No matter how hard he tried, though, a little cloud of oatmeal dust was beginning to form. He waited for the thing to settle somewhat before continuing. L continued to pour the different sorts of glitter into measuring cups. Apparently, the ratio of glitter to oatmeal was practically a science. The detective crouched down to better examine how much he had gathered.

So just as the cloud had dissipated Light brought another opened packet to pour into the bowl. However, L had finished scrutinizing the cups of glitter and brought the red over to add to the oatmeal. The two hands brushed against each other for only an instant, but it did not go unnoticed. Light quickly moved his own hand away in surprise. Why had it felt so…jolting? If he'd been sleepy before, he was now completely aware and awake. L glanced at him curiously while finishing adding the red, going to grab the green afterward.

It wasn't but a few minutes later that the reindeer food was finally mixed and ready for "consumption." Though barely noticeable, it had seemed as if the two men had been especially careful when adding the last couple packets and green glitter, but…

Bowl under an arm, L started toward the door. Light's end of the chain was tugged on with quite a bit of force, causing the younger man to stumble after him. Even when he took the time to close the door behind them, L just kept on chugging along, causing Light to continue to be nearly dragged. That is, until they reached the elevator. A pallid finger pressed the button for the rooftop level.

Rubbing his sore wrist, Light looked to him strangely. "You know we both don't have a coat on, right?"

"I have been able to deduct that, yes."

"And it's freezing outside?"

"Again, yes."

He could only sigh lightly. L could be a stubborn ass if he really wanted to be. Since they were already on the upper part of the building, the trip only lasted seconds. An icy blast of wind invaded the elevator as soon as the doors pulled open. Neither could help but to shiver. Snow was falling from the sky in large fluffy flakes.

A frown settled on L's face. He was staring at the blanket that covered the roof, only inches away from the entryway of the elevator.

"Light-kun…"

"Yes?"

"…it seems I have forgotten some shoes."

Light's gaze immediately shifted to the other man's feet. Sure enough, they were bare and shoeless. How was this not surprising?

"I guess we'll need to go back to – "

"No. We will attend to the task at hand and only upon completion will we return."

"Even if you lose three toes?"

Then L padded off into the snow. His movements were noticeably stiff; it was clear that the sheer cold on his skin was maddening. But nevertheless, he continued on and began sprinkling handfuls of the reindeer food all over the snow on the roof. Even with snow-laden clouds overhead, the glitter sparkled on the white of the fallen snow.

Sighing, Light joined the detective out on the roof once the chain became rather taut. He, luckily, had enough sense to have worn shoes. It was probably not the best of ideas to have that particular pair get snow all over them, but he preferred it over frostbite. He found himself staring at some of the odd mixture sprinkled about though something pressed against his arm pulled him out of it.

L stood only a foot or so away with the giant purple bowl. Only about a fourth of the original contents remained. His giant eyes were focused on him once more, though Light found himself not quite recoiling at the sudden gaze.

"I almost didn't allow you to partake in this. I apologize, Light-kun. You may use the rest." The bowl was pressed lightly against his arm again.

Light merely mumbled an "It's fine" before taking the thing himself. He scattered some of the remains here and there where L hadn't gotten to, but found that some of the accursed glitter failed to come off of his hands. Both were peppered with green and red sparkles…and they smelled like oatmeal. Lovely. Whatever was left in the bowl got poured out near where he stood directly afterward. He turned around, looking for L.

Standing absolutely still and facing away was the detective. His head seemed to be tilted back somewhat, and his back was…straightened a bit? Light had to blink a few times to assure himself that snowflakes hadn't gotten stuck in his eyelashes. Wordlessly, the younger man began to walk toward and around the motionless detective to find out the reason for his peculiar behavior. All that could be heard was the soft crunch of snow beneath his shoes.

Light stopped in his tracks at once, only able to stare. L still remained completely still, but his eyelids had come to a close as his head was tilted toward the sky. Snowflakes had landed here and there on his windswept black hair and his dark eyelashes, having not yet melted. However, his mouth was open and tongue sticking right out. He was catching snowflakes. Every now and then a flake would drift down to the man's tongue and it would remain white and sparkling for only a short moment before melting into a tiny little puddle. The cold had made a faint pink blush rise on the detective's pale face. L looked absolutely serene and…

Beautiful.

Wait…_beautiful?_

He shook his head a bit in hopes that his thoughts would actually start to make sense. Where the hell had that come from? This was L, the sleep-deprived bastard that wanted him behind bars and/or dead. The cold was just getting to him, that was it… He began walking back towards the waiting elevator with the empty bowl in his hands. Light felt a tug on the chain, having pulled the detective out of his reverie, and then...a soft thud? He turned around to find L on his hands and knees on the ground. His large black eyes peered up to look at Light.

"It seems that I have fallen…" His eyebrows furrowed together, as if trying to focus on something. "Hm…it seems that I have lost some feeling in my feet."

Great.

"And what are you getting at, exactly?"

"Well, seeing as though I can't necessarily walk with numb feet," he said, pushing himself into a sitting position, "I suppose I need to be carried back to the room."

Light just stared.

"…what? I'm not that heavy, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Another long pause. L frowned.

"Light-kun, I don't have cooties."

The younger man sighed. "Fine, you big baby."

"I am no such thing. I am merely…slightly frozen."

Already at his side, Light began to get a proper hold on the man in order to lift him up. "Says the one who always has his thumb to his mouth."

"By doing so, my deductive reasoning skills are able to –" L gripped onto Light's clothes, having not quite braced himself for the sudden lift. "…increase by a large percentage."

"Whatever. Let's get back inside, dork."

Another frown. "I am most certainly not a male whale's genitals, either."

A look of confusion and horror passed over Light's face. _"What?"_

"That's what a dork is, Light-kun. It seems the Japanese education system is failing."

Light sighed. "Whatever. Could you push the buttons, please? My hands are full."

"But of course."

* * *

"Ahhhh. Much better." L wiggled his still icy toes a bit in the warm bucket of water. "I owe you one, Light-kun."

The younger man raised an eyebrow, standing still instead of sitting on the couch. "And what would 'one' be?"

"Hmmm…" He rested his head against the back of the couch. "I don't know right now. I'll let you know when I decide what that is. You have my laptop, yes?"

"Yeah, it's right here." Light took the thing out from under his arm and held it out to the detective's waiting hands. He finally sat down, suddenly very appreciative of the inside's warmth.

After going through the countless security measures of his laptop, L was finally able to get it unlocked and gain access to the internet. Light didn't really bother to peer over to see where he was going exactly, instead staring at the Christmas tree in the corner. Amazingly, all of those mittens had somehow kept all of their candy…

"Here we are; the Santa Radar." He situated the laptop so that Light could view the screen as well.

Tearing his gaze away from the tree, he soon found himself staring at a screen with the Earth upon it and a slowly moving, red blinking dot. Apparently the thing was somewhere in Europe… Or rather, _Santa Claus_ was in Europe. Perhaps he wouldn't get a headache if he just went along with things.

"I will be keeping my laptop on this particular page for the remainder of the day so that we may keep a continual eye on Santa's whereabouts. So, when he's getting close, like perhaps China or Korea, we will retreat to the bedroom."

"…okay."

"And, the laptop is locked from doing anything else. Only I can access its files or travel to other websites, making hacking and stealing information futile."

Crossing his legs, Light gave him a strange look. "Even if I wanted to, how could I go about stealing information from your laptop when you're always within a few feet from me?"

"Oh, I wasn't talking about you, Light-kun," he explained swiftly.

"Then who?"

"Ninjas."

Because _that _made sense.

"Well, or spies. I doubt anyone other than you and the task force knows of my present location, but I can never be too careful." L then procured from some place a stack of sheets of paper and a tape dispenser. "Now, before we proceed to begin watching Christmas movies and drinking eggnog, as it is customary to do on Christmas Eve, there is one last order of business which we must attend to."

* * *

The roof. Again. L stared out at the snowy ground outside of the elevator with trepidation. There was still glitter that they'd scattered (along with the oatmeal) everywhere. His large black eyes shifted back up to Light.

"Could you possibly tape this next to the elevator entrance? I don't really care to go out into the snow again…" He scrunched his nose slightly at the thought.

Light rolled his eyes. "I suppose so."

"Excellent. Here you are." He held out a certain sheet and the dispenser. The paper was almost completely covered in writing.

As he stepped out into the crunchy snow, Light began to read through it…and found that the majority of it he absolutely couldn't read. Not that it was illegible…but rather, it wasn't in just one language. It was in _twelve_. He could only manage two of them, English and Japanese. Though, it was clear each of them said the same exact thing.

**Santa, please follow these arrows to our Christmas tree.  
サンタは、クリスマスツリーにこれらの矢印に従ってください。**  
**Veuillez suivre ces flèches pour trouver notre sapin de Noël.**  
**Santa, folgen Sie bitte diese Pfeile, um unseren Weihnachtsbaum.**  
**Santa, por favor, siga estas flechas para nuestro árbol de Navidad.**  
**Santa, por favor, siga estas setas para nossa árvore de Natal.**  
**Санта, выполните эти стрелки, чтобы наши елки.**  
**Σάντα, ακολουθήστε αυτά τα βέλη για το χριστουγεννιάτικο δέντρο μας.**  
**Babbo Natale, si prega di seguire queste frecce al nostro albero di Natale.**  
**Santa, postupujte prosím podle těchto šipek na náš vánoční stromeček.  
聖誕老人，請遵循這些箭頭聖誕樹。  
산타는 우리의 크리스마스 트리에 해당 화살표를 따르십시오.**

And, they were all in L's handwriting. Light nearly balked at what he was looking at. Somehow, he was able to tape the thing to the outside and walk back into the elevator. L seemed to not notice his surprise and merely went to work at taping more of his instruction sheets on their way back to the room. One was placed right beside the elevator buttons, a little arrow pointing to their floor number. There were perhaps fifteen of the things in all.

* * *

The duo finally plopped onto the couch for the final time, or so Light hoped. L immediately set down his tape and pulled out his cell phone and held down a number on his speed dial. Light stretched, deciding to watch the still-falling snow outside. There were so many windows in the living room that it gave a spectacular view of the city, especially as it was starting to grow dark. The sun was falling below the horizon once more, already fatigued from its short time in the sky.

"Hello, Watari. We're ready." A pause. "Excellent. The door is unlocked."

The phone was flipped close and went back into his pocket. Before he even got the chance to inquire what they'd been talking about, the older gentleman had already pushed into the room a wheeled cart. L peered over the back of the couch, eyes slightly widening. He was getting eager for it, whatever it was.

Watari came to a stop with the cart on L's side. There was a large coffee pot of sorts sitting on a heating pad along with two festive mugs. Beside it sat a platter of cookies, a glass of milk, and three DVD cases.

"Our eggnog has arrived, Light-kun."

"Eggnog?" If there was anything other than hamburgers that was positively the least healthy thing on the planet that he could stomach and enjoy…it was eggnog. He could feel his mouth watering.

"That is what I said." The two mugs were quickly filled by the elderly gentleman. L thanked him and handed a mug to Light. "There is plenty more, if you care for a refill. Watari, before you leave, could you pop _Elf_ into the DVD player? It would be greatly appreciated."

After inhaling the sweet smell of his eggnog, Light looked to the detective curiously. "_Elf_? What's that?"

L took a sip of his own mug. "Ah. It's an American film with the actor Will Ferrell. Buddy, the protagonist in the film, was a human raised as an elf in the North Pole who goes to modern civilization in search of his true identity. It's entertaining."

Nodding a bit at the information, Light went to work at his warm eggnog.

* * *

After Light had consumed at least five mugs of eggnog later, L was beginning to realize how grave of a mistake he had made. Granted, Light was still nineteen. He'd turn twenty in a mere two months, so drinking alcoholic eggnog wasn't all that serious. It wasn't as if the stuff could get you drunk easily…unless you were positively addicted to the rich holiday drink. That L hadn't counted on. He'd only had one himself, which mean his deductive reasoning skills were still in the ninety percent range, but Light…

It was clear that Light had never touched alcohol before. And, he happened to be a very…touchy-feely drunk. The detective wasn't really sure what to make of this. _Elf_ hadn't even ended yet and here Light was, fairly intoxicated.

The cookies and milk had been placed off to the side near the tree for Santa, out of their reach. He suspected that they had a very good chance of being knocked over, if Light continued on like this…

Instead of there being a good foot or two between the two sitting men, there was practically no space separating them. L was right up against the side of the couch, so he had no place to go. Light currently had his head on his shoulder and he'd determined that hugging the detective seemed like a perfectly good idea.

"Ryuuzakiiiii…I wan more nogg," he mumbled into L's bony shoulder.

"Light-kun, I hardly think that's a good idea. Be quiet, will you? I want to hear the end of the movie."

"But Ryuuzakiiiiiii… It's yummy. Pleaseeeeee…?"

Though he knew he'd regret it later, L glanced down at the drunk man clinging to him. Oh, god. He had the puppy-dog eyes. He immediately looked away to escape the dangerous gaze. Even after drinking too much alcohol, Light could still be a manipulative little bastard.

Light clung even tighter to L. "Hey…wanna make a deal?"

That was somehow very, very frightening.

"What do you mean by that, Light? Also, please refrain from being so loud. I'm still trying to watch this." He still refused to look back at Light.

"Pshhhh." Oh, god…was he _nuzzling _him now? "I'll give you something awesome if you gimme more nogg."

"Define _'something awesome.'_"

"Aw, but that ruins the surprise."

L was faced with two options.

One: Refuse Light's pleas. He was still in the realm of suspicion, and while under the influence…the idea of a surprise gift was very sketchy. Moreover, he wasn't so sure if an even more drunk Light sounded that appealing. If Light was at the point of fondling him now…

Two: Accept, and give Light just a little bit more of the eggnog. He didn't have anything on his person that seemed to be threatening… But, most of all, L couldn't help that he had an enormous curious streak. What would Light do, exactly? The possibilities were almost endless.

He glanced at the impatient younger man out of the corner of his eyes. Sure enough, his brown eyes were still wide and pleading…and he had started to pet his hair. God damn it. He was making this too difficult. The detective still tried to weigh his options, even though the feel of Light's hand moving across his scalp was absolutely heavenly…

He shook himself from his thoughts. If anything, he'd always been one to take risks in investigations. _This_ was still an investigation. The risks seemed very minimal, so…

"Very well, Light-kun. I'll give you a little but more, but please…don't ask me again, all right?"

"_Woohoo!_ I love nog…"

"I know you do."

Somehow he managed to pry his arms from Light's hold. He proceeded to reach for the younger man's mug and begun filling it with the last bit of the warm liquid from the pot. Steam still rose from the surface even after the length of time they'd spent watching the movie. He turned from the cart to hand the mug over to the eager auburn-haired man…

…and felt something warm assault his lips at once. However, as soon as he'd become aware of the sensation, it had left. Grinning, Light downed his sixth mug of alcoholic eggnog.

L's eyes, still wide in shock, could only stare forward at the television screen. Even though Light had clearly been drunk, he had kissed him briefly on the lips.

The Kira investigation wasn't going to be so simple anymore…


	25. Christmas

Long chapter is long. o_o

I wanted to get this up on the first, but an impromptu several-hour-long session of Zhu Zhu pets prevented me from working on the Christmas chapter. You may thank my niece for that. Also, I nearly printed this chapter out instead of clicking spell check. It just so happened that my dad was sitting right next to the printer and, well... Let's just say it's a good thing that I canceled the print before it was too late. XD

However, have no fear! We still have a chapter for each of the remaining days of December and New Year's, which makes seven more chapters. I've yet to decide if New Year's is the end all be all or if there will be an epilogue... I'll let you know how I'm feeling about that later down the road. I also plan to go back and fix/add to previous prompts. Because of the frequent updating schedule, I've left a typo here and there and I couldn't put in everything I would've liked. So at some point the fic will be beefed up a little.

But we're getting close to the end! Eeee! It's nice to know that I won't be stressed about updating anymore, but this has been such a fun fic to write. Support from my reviewers kept me going for each chapter. I love you all bunches. And this chapter in particular is very fun, indeed. Stay tuned for answers to questions that I've planted along the way from the beginning until now.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 25**  
Christmas  


* * *

  
**

Instead of the excitement and happiness he thought he would feel the morning of Christmas, Light was experiencing perhaps one of the worst headaches of his life. He curled into a ball at once and groaned. Oh, if only he had put aspirin at the top of his wish-list… How the hell had he gotten such a headache, anyway? He ate right, he got plenty of sleep (as long as L didn't fidget all night), he drank plenty of water… Drank. Drank?

Eggnog. The last thing he could remember was some eggnog. Had it been…? However, another wave of pain passed through his head once more, coaxing yet another pained groan.

"A very Merry Christmas to you, too, Light-kun."

He never remembered L's voice to be so loud… Ugh.

"Ryuuzaki…" His voice didn't end up being as strong as he'd planned. "What was in…the eggnog last night?"

Weight shifted around on the bed, but Light didn't dare to open his eyes to find out where the detective was or what he was doing.

"Alcohol. Not a lot, but after drinking as much as you did it's completely understandable how intoxicated you became," he said, still sounding rather uninterested.

So he _did _have a hangover. But, he couldn't remember everything from the previous night. This was a potentially very, very bad thing. Light had never had alcohol prior to the previous night, so he wasn't entirely sure what he would say to L in such a state… He could've leaked every secret he had. That, or done something highly embarrassing and/or stupid. He hadn't a clue of his nature when under the influence. Anything could have happened.

"Uh…what did I do, Ryuuzaki?" he ventured softly.

"Hmmm…" Another small shift in the weight on the bed. "What is the last thing you remember?"

There was a brief pause before Light responded, having had to rake his brain quite a bit. "I remember up to where…you handed me my mug and the movie was about…fifteen minutes in?"

Another silence hung in the air, but now it was due to L's lack of response. Light finally managed to creak one eye open just slightly, managing to catch sight of the detective's form. It wasn't all that bright in the room since only one tiny lamp was on, but the other man seemed kind of fuzzy and unfocused. However, one thing was for certain: L was deep in thought. The detective had his thump pressed to his bottom lip and stared at nothing in particular.

"Did anything happen after that?" Light inquired.

L shifted his gaze back to the bleary-eyed man. "No, not really. You downed mug after mug of eggnog and became fairly drunk, but nothing came of it. You fell asleep as soon as you finished your sixth. This was before the end of the film, which I went ahead and finished watching. A shame you didn't get to watch it yourself…"

Well, thank . Crisis averted. That, or L was possibly lying. Still harboring the headache of all headaches, Light was dearly hoping for the former.

* * *

Light slumped over onto the kitchen table, cup of coffee in hand. L went to work at a slice of strawberry cake, which there always seemed to be some of in the fridge. It was just a universally accepted constant. In L's fridge, there would always be strawberry cake. No exceptions.

After swallowing a bite, the detective looked to the younger man strangely. "Light-kun, you look as though someone ran over your puppy."

Frowning all the more, Light lifted his head to take a gulp of steaming hot coffee. It helped, to some degree.

"Now, there is no need to be so grumpy. I understand your woes that resulted from so much eggnog, but it is Christmas morning. I would hope even Kira enjoying Christmas, the day in which everyone tries to act kind and moral."

Whoah, wait. It _was_ Christmas. When did that happen, anyway?

"Ryuuzaki, if you don't mind by me asking…could you perhaps go the whole day without accusing me of being Kira? It's all I'd want for Christmas from you, really. This Christmas would perhaps be the best to date."

"Very well, Light-kun."

Well…that was easy. It was actually unsettling how quickly L had complied.

"Now, I wish to inform you on today's game-plan. Please pay attention, because I don't particularly like repeating myself," L said, setting down his fork. The cake had already been obliterated. "I called your father last night while you slept, and at precisely three o'clock we will depart for your home. The rest of the afternoon and evening we will spend at the Yagami household for Christmas festivities."

Light peered up from his cup. "My father agreed to the arrangement…?"

"I believe I said that."

"And…we're staying there for essentially the entire day?"

"Correct, again."

Light buried his face onto his hands. He mumbled some sort of incoherent statement.

L tilted his head to the side slightly. "I'm afraid I couldn't make that out, Light-kun. Could you please speak up?"

The younger man complied, moving his hands slightly apart to expose his mouth. "Sayu…"

"Oh. Your sister. You believe that she still poses a threat to you, is that it?"

"You have no idea…" Light finally looked up from his hands. "We were only in her presence for maybe an hour for that damned bread. An _hour_. Now she has access to us for _hour__**s**_. If that's not threatening, I don't know what is."

"Perhaps Light-kun is overreacting."

Light only brought his cup to his lips again, finishing off his steaming coffee. It was totally devoid of sugars or creamer.

"Ah, so you're finished. I'll let you know, your gifts have already been transported to your family's Christmas tree. So, –"

"Wait, _you_ got _me_ presents?" Light looked to L in disbelief.

"Yes. It _is_ Christmas and I'm not a Scrooge. Now, as I was saying… Your presents are already at your home, though there is one thing I wish for you to open before we depart. Since you have finished your coffee, I believe now would be as good of a time as ever to get around to that order of business."

Light let his hand drop from the cup's handle and began to push himself out of the chair. "Fine. But I'm still making sure that it's not a pipe bomb."

L blinked. "Blowing you up on Christmas? Not only would that entirely defeat the purpose of the holiday, but please don't forget that I'm still bound to you and I would face the same fate. Exploding isn't very high on my list of things to do, currently."

Light started walking toward the living room with L in tow. The bottom of the tree was still as bare as always, so he failed to see what L had left for him to open. That is, until the detective pulled some sort of folded envelope from one of his back jeans pockets. He held out the thing to Light who accepted it hesitantly. His wide eyes watched the younger man carefully as the envelope was opened.

Inside there was only a single sheet of white paper. Confused, he unfolded it to find simply one thing printed upon it: the detective's signature "L" in old English-type lettering. Before he even had the chance to ask him what it meant, L beat him to the punch.

"As a little gift from me to you, I'm allowing you to call me that rather than my alias 'Ryuuzaki.' That is, only in private or in the presence of Watari. Under no other circumstances can you call me L."

Still befuddled, Light asked, "Isn't this just another alias? What difference does one make over the – "

"Nonsense. It is my first name. I will not trust you with my last name until I'm absolutely certain that you are not Kira."

Light didn't even bother to hide his surprise. If his jaw could have reached the floor, it would've most definitely done so at this point. "You mean…part of your name…is an alias?"

"Indeed. However, it is now ten until three. Watari will be waiting with the limousine at the front of the building, so I suggest we acquire coats."

He was half-way there. All that time spent in the task force trying to get the world-famous detective comfortable around him and now he had something to show for it. He had his first name. Sure, "L" was the name the world knew, but the world didn't know it was more than just an alias. Everything he had worked toward was so close he could almost taste it, as cliché as it sounded. Light was inches away from taking control of his kingdom, ruling without L to chase him down and make him hide in the shadows. Perhaps he wouldn't need Rem's or Misa's help after all. When the moment came that L finally surrendered his most precious possession, his last name…

He would write it down in his notebook…wouldn't he? Of course he would. Ever since L challenged him on public television in the very beginning, he swore to take the man down. L was the corrupt world's form of justice, a justice which would not experience anything close to the success that his judgment would.

He wouldn't hesitate. It didn't matter if they were friends or not. At one point, he had even said to himself that if his own family stood in the way…

"Light-kun? I know that letter in the English alphabet is absolutely fascinating, but I'd really appreciate it if you put your coat on already. We are running low on time."

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Light went to the closet to acquire his winter coat.

* * *

As soon as they exited the limousine, Light couldn't help but release a heavy sigh. L looked to him with mild confusion, hands stuffed into his coat pockets.

"Does Light-kun not enjoy Christmas at his home?" The warmth from his breath hung in the air as if a small puff of smoke.

Little changed in Light's expression. "No, that's not it… It's just… Look. You go knock at the door or ring the bell and you'll see what I mean."

"…is this an elaborate way of killing me? Having me die on Christmas is incredibly low, even for Kira. I even got you presents."

"Can we just get this over with?"

"Very well. I will throw myself to whatever monsters are on the other side of that door, because apparently Light-kun is too afraid to do so him–"

"Fine. I'll do it." Light started trudging through the fresh blanket of snow on the driveway and walkway. He assumed neither of his parents had bothered going anywhere the previous day or on Christmas, which meant Sayu got to stay inside and didn't have to toil with a snow shovel in the cold. Being the eldest, Light had usually been given that duty, and the one time he was out of the house Sayu got to evade it just like that.

His gloved finger rested on the doorbell. He stared at the thing with loathing. Maybe if he jumped out of the way just in time when the door began to creak open… Before he lost his nerve, he pressed the button. L still stood behind him with his eyes boring into the back of his head.

A click sounded through the silence hanging in the air. The door was just unlocked. Light immediately bolted to stand behind the detective, moving so fast that L scarcely had time to react. He was about to turn and question the younger man's odd behavior when suddenly a considerable amount of weight latched itself onto his form. Surprised and due to the icy concrete below him, he quickly toppled to the ground with the weight still firmly attached. He switched his gaze to whatever it was. A large pair of brown eyes looked to him with disappointment.

"Hello, Sayu-kun," he said calmly. "Is this how you greet all visitors?"

The younger Yagami pouted. "No, not really. I was hoping that you were Light…"

"I _knew_ it."

"And so you sacrificed your friend? Geez, how can you hang out with this guy, Ryuuzaki?" She stuck her tongue out at her brother.

L tried to squirm slightly out of her hold, but to no avail. "It's very nice to see you again, but…would you happen to have any aspirin? I do believe I hit my head on the pavement a bit too hard…"

"Oh, I nearly forgot! Let me help you up, I'm soooo sorry!"

The teenage girl leapt up in a flash and grabbed L's arm to help him to his feet. With his spare hand, he moved his fingers to feel the afflicted area. He winced slightly and then carefully brushed some of the ice and snow out of his hair. Light, unscathed, followed the two through the front door. While L went ahead and removed his shoes, an action he noticed the detective was all too eager to perform, he closed and locked the door behind them. Sayu sprinted off someplace to acquire the medicine L had asked for.

"That was very sly of you, Light-kun." He set his coat on the hanger along with his infinite supply of scarves. "You gave me an owwie."

"Too slow, Ryuuzaki."

Sachiko pulled her son into a hug before the detective could give any kind of retort. Really, were all of his family members ninjas? He never knew people to move so fast and without him knowing where they were…

"Merry Christmas, Liiiiight~!" The woman placed kisses all over his face while still encasing him in a hug. Oh, Light was just _dying_ of embarrassment. L couldn't help but to smirk slightly, earning him a brief glare from Light when his mother wasn't looking.

Once satisfied, the detective finally spoke up, saving Light from further torture. He considered them even at this point. "Merry Christmas, Sachiko-san."

The woman turned her head to the unexpected voice. "Oh, Ryuuzaki! I'm so sorry for not greeting you properly! I was just so excited to see my Light-chan home for Christmas. Please, come into the living room. We've been waiting for you two."

Light managed to wriggle from his mother's arms. "By the way mom, Sayu should be coming with some medicine for Ryuuzaki. Redirect her to us if you see her, please."

A look of concern passed over the woman's face. Light noticed she was wearing one of her hideous Christmas sweaters, making him shudder. All those bells, ribbons, reindeer… ughhh…

She said, "Oh? Is there something the matter?"

"I merely slipped and fell outside, hitting my head on the ice," L piped up. "It's nothing to worry about, but what she is looking for will be of help."

Light felt a tug on his wrist. His gaze switched to L, who was now walking away from him.

"Come, Light-kun. We should advance to the living room."

"All right." Oh sweet heavens, if that mistletoe was still in there… Surely L wouldn't pull _that_ stunt in front of his entire family? Light would make it his prime objective to find a seat farthest from where that accursed plant was hanging.

"You poor dears… That chain still won't come off?" Sachiko asked suddenly, finally taking notice of the thing.

L paused to turn around. "I'm afraid so. Not a single locksmith has been available since it is the holidays, so we may not be rid of it until New Year's or later…"

"What a shame!"

_You have no idea_, Light thought to himself. A strong tug pulled him toward the living room once more. He picked up his pace to walk more alongside the detective opposed to following behind. Thus, they arrived at their destination at the same time.

It was as if the Spirit of Christmas had waltzed into the Yagami household and thrown up everywhere. If Light had thought his mother had finished decorating around the time of their previous visit, he was sorely mistaken. Knick knacks, garland, scented candles, lights, music… It almost was enough to make him have to shield his eyes. Some Christmas throw blankets were on the backs of chairs and the couch, but otherwise the seats were unscathed. Soichiro stood over by the fireplace, poking at the still-new flames.

"Merry Christmas, Soichiro-san," L said, not quite as overwhelmed by the decorations as Light. The younger man was still rubbing at his eyes.

The police chief turned around, startled from hearing L's voice in his home. "Ryuuzaki, a pleasure to have you here. A Merry Christmas to you, too." His gaze shifted to the chain, creating a slight frown on his face. "So, I take it you'll still be stuck to each other for a while."

"Yes. It seems all of the locksmiths will not be back until after the first of January, as I had thought it would be…"

Soichiro sighed. "Very well. Anyway, please have a seat." He gestured toward the couch, still standing near the fire.

"Thank you very mu–"

"I FOUND IIIIIT!" Sayu proclaimed, bolting into the room. She stopped in front of L and Light, the two having just been in the middle of finally sitting down.

"That took a while," Light stated. "And what exactly is that on your head?"

"Oh, this?" Sayu adjusted the little white ball attached to her green-and-red striped hat. "It's my elf-hat. Duh. Anyway, here's your medicine, Ryuuzaki."

A cup of water and two white pills were thrust into his hands. L brought one of the things closer to his eyes, examining them. "Ah, thank you very much. This should help."

"No problem!"

Determining that the things were actually for headaches and not for killing unsuspecting house guests, L quickly threw the things into his mouth and chased them down with the water he was given. He grimaced as they traveled down his throat, not particularly liking the medicine-y taste they left behind. It was so incredibly bitter and vile… Some water was still left in the cup, so he drank the remaining liquid in hopes of eliminating the awful taste.

"Whoaaaahhh… There are way more presents this morning than there were last night," Sayu remarked, peering under the tree. She eyed one of the tags of an unfamiliar box. "This one's from…Ryuuzaki? Hey, so is this one! And…this one, too! Geez, Ryuuzaki, are you rolling in dough or something? There's like a billion gifts from you here!"

The detective brought a thumb to his lips. "I suppose you could put it that way."

_**DING DONG! DING DONG!**_

Light switched his gaze toward the front door. It wasn't in his line of vision, but the sound bothered him. The doorbell had no reason to ring anymore. He and L had already arrived and no one was delivering packages, which meant that someone… No, it couldn't be… A frown settled on his features. L didn't seem concerned at the slightest, merely staring at the Christmas tree.

"I'll get it, mom!" Sayu darted out of the kitchen, the presents and L momentarily forgotten.

This was not good. Sayu did not volunteer to answer the door unless it was someone she probably knew. Light's list of potential visitors narrowed down to one possible person.

The door was flung open.

"Misa-Misa is here!"

Oh, how badly he had wanted to be proven wrong. Not only would he have to deal with Misa's clingy nature and loud mouth, but Sayu's deviousness and L's unpredictable agenda. The day was going to sap his every reserve of will and wit.

He glanced over to L. The man, upon hearing Misa's piercing voice, didn't look too terribly pleased either. Well, at least they were in the same boat on that.

"It's so good to see you again, Misa-chan! Light's over in the living room with the others," Sayu responded. The sound of Misa's heavy Lolita shoes sounded on the tile as she removed them.

Closing his eyes, Light began to count down.

_Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…_

Two sets of feet could be heard padding down the hallway.

…_five, four, three, two, one – _

A pair of pale, thin arms wrapped around his neck from behind.

"Misa is soooo happy to see you, Light! She's missed you so much! Always stuck with _him_ instead of _me_." She sent a pointed glare to L, who still preferred to have a staring contest with the Yagami Christmas tree. The model gave Light a smooch on the cheek.

Sayu plopped down on a recliner near-by. From where she was, she got a pretty clear view on anyone in the living room. The only person missing was her mother, but she wouldn't affect the atmosphere all that much. So far, things hadn't exactly gone as she planned. Sayu had no clue the true level of obsession Misa had for Light, and from her brother's subtle body language she could definitely tell he wasn't all that pleased. That Ryuuzaki character, however…she couldn't tell what was going on with him. It was as if he knew she was keeping him under surveillance, or he always kept his face unreadable. Now, if she just got Misa removed from the equation for only a little while…

Sachiko finally entered the living room, a large red Santa had in her hands. Misa took notice that something was about to happen, so she quickly released her grip on Light's neck and went around the couch to hop on his lap. She was wearing a modified Mrs. Claus outfit. How was he not surprised? It left little to the imagination and why she chose to wear it in front of his family Light would never know…

"Everybody, make sure you have a seat!" she chimed. The only one standing was Soichiro who upon hearing the announcement sat down in the loveseat. Sachiko remained standing, and continued, "Since we have two new faces in the house this Christmas, I'll go ahead and explain how we open our presents. Each year, we have someone new wear this Santa hat and it is their job to hand out the presents from under the tree while everyone else gets to sit and chat. Once all the presents are given out, we open them. There's no need to save ribbons, paper, or anything like that. We throw it all out. So…"

"Ooh! Light should be Santa this year! He hasn't been Santa in _forever!_" Sayu proclaimed. Who said it had to be a part of her grand plan for it to annoy her brother to death? She could improvise, too.

Light immediately tried to draw attention away from himself. "Don't be silly, Sayu. Just two Christmases ago I –"

"Light will be Santa this year. It's decided," Sachiko concluded, handing over the hat with a smile.

With a frown that could rival the Grinch's, Light put the accursed red hat on his head. A humored snort sounded off to the side.

Light furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Ryuuzaki…?"

Nearly caught in the act, L returned to his regular stoic expression in a fraction of a second. "Yes, Light-kun?"

He sighed. "Whatever. I guess I'll start…"

Light grudgingly began to grab the outermost gifts, handing them out to their respective owners. The ones that were from L were painfully different from the rest. The wrapping was perfect, the bows were magnificent, and they all had candy patterns. Again, a shocker. In fact, it seemed that the detective at some point or another had gotten gifts for everyone present. Well, except for Misa. It seemed even he hadn't counted on her attendance. However, Misa didn't really notice the difference between L's gifts and his family's. Well, for now. He even found two boxes for himself. Rather surprised, he set them down beside we he had been sitting, though most of the space was occupied by Misa.

Now, he was going for the Yagami gifts. He remembered his mother calling the evening before, trying to get gifts for the detective at the last minute. Light couldn't even have imagined what the stores were like on Christmas eve, but she had been so insistent on getting ideas from him…

* * *

After having made the reindeer food, Light had excused himself to go visit the restroom. He had finished and began washing his hands when he heard his phone suddenly go off. Luckily, it was a normal ring tone, opposed to the one Sayu had assigned to herself…

He flipped the device open. "Hello, mother."

"Hello, Light-chan! How are you? Enjoying your winter break with your classmates?"

"Yeah, we're having a great time. So, is there anything I can do for you?" He could hear L at work with his Tetris game outside the door.

"Yes, actually! Your father told me that Ryuuzaki is coming over for Christmas at our house, so it's only right that we get him some things. Do you know what he likes?"

Oh, god. Now that was a million-dollar question if there ever was one.

"Uh…candy and sweets… That's about it. He's not really into clothes…" _Because he wears the same god damn thing every day. _

"But, we can't just get him food!"

"Well…he's very intelligent, so… I don't know, maybe some books or puzzle-things?"

He could hear her sigh on the other end.

"Okay, well… What have you gotten him?"

Shit. That was a good question.

"About that, mom…"

"Light Yagami, did you get _anything_ for your friend's Christmas present?" Ooh. She was not pleased. Think fast, Light.

"Here's the thing, though! You know we've been chained together after we lost the key, right?"

"Yes, you said that…"

"Well, how am I supposed to go out and buy him presents if he's breathing down my neck? I was going to ask you to get some things in my place. I'll pay you back in full as soon as I can go to the bank."

"Oh, well…I suppose that's fine. I'm right outside the mall in my car. So, what do you have in mind, sweetie?"

Somehow, his brain flung an idea or two out of nowhere. "Maybe a heated coat or jacket? I heard Gerbing makes something like that… It might be a little pricey, but I'll still cover it."

He heard a pen moving on some paper on the other end. "Uh-huh… What else?"

"The only other thing I can think of is… Have you heard of those new blanket-things from America, called 'Snuggies' or whatever? One of those, if there are any around."

"Sounds good. I'll keep an eye out for those things, dear. I'll be seeing you tomorrow, I love you, bye!"

* * *

And now he was going to get to the non-L gifts. His fingers reached out to grab something from his dad to Sayu when…his hand didn't move any farther toward the thing. He looked to it in confusion…and it was attached to a very taut chain. Of course. L was balancing very precariously off of the couch, looking as though he could topple onto the ground at a moment's notice.

Sayu got to her feet within seconds. "I have an idea!"

Light stood, moving away from the tree to lessen the strain. This he had to hear. "Oh? That's a first."

"Hey, you're being a total – "

"Children…" Soichiro said with warning.

"Hmph." She crossed her arms against her chest. "Well, what I was going to say was I know how Light can still be Santa and get to the rest of the presents with the chain still on him!"

L, his thumb still to his lips, suddenly broke from his silent observations. "Oh?"

Smiling triumphantly, Sayu marched over to the "seated" raven haired man, pulled off her elf-hat, and put it directly on to his head. He was looking up at the abomination on his head as if he'd been given severe head lice. It took all of Light's self control to not laugh at his misfortune. Oh, how the tables had turned…

"Ryuuzaki can be his helper elf! Ta-da!"

"Aww, how adorable! Light, Ryuuzaki, wait just one moment! I need to grab my camera!" Sachiko said. She hurried out of the room to get the said technological device.

An enormous grin was plastered across Sayu's face. They were both _mortified_. Well, Light more so than Ryuuzaki, but still. It was priceless. There was no way she wasn't getting a copy of _this_ picture!

Seconds later Sachiko had returned, fiddling with the on button. Sayu dragged L onto his feet and pushed him to stand by her Santa-ified brother. Light looked as though he wanted to commit a murder, while the raven-haired man held a look so blank and unimpressed that he could've been mistaken for a zombie.

"Oh, come on you two!" Sachiko lowered the camera from her eye. "Would it hurt you to smile, just a little? It's Christmas, not a funeral for...Grandma Auntpaw or something. It'll look really nice in front of our tree! Now, on the count of three…"

Light sighed. He wasn't sure why L was complying to having a photo taken of his face, but it hardly mattered now, he supposed. They didn't know who he was, save his father and Misa. If they had any sense they wouldn't say a word about it. On that note, perhaps it was best to keep an eye on Misa…

"One…"

He went ahead and put on one of the small, polite smiles he reserved for awards and other sorts of things like that. It didn't scream to the world he was having the greatest time of his life, but it was enough to get people off of his back for looking forlorn in a photo. L, on the other hand, hadn't made a move to do anything yet.

"Two…"

Scratch that, he was doing something now. L straightened his back a bit and got rid of his scowl. Well, it was an improvement, he supposed. He could only take note of this out of the corner of his eye, keeping his gaze focused mainly on the camera in his mother's hands.

"Three…"

Just before the signal from Sachiko's finger pressing the button signaled to the camera to take the shot, he felt a hand roughly shove his head into L's, making them practically cheek to cheek. Neither had enough time to react to the force until long after the flash lit the room briefly and the picture was taken. Light whipped around to find a grinning Sayu sitting on the ground behind them. He shot her a glare, only to be interrupted by perhaps the other greatest form of annoyance in his life.

"Ooh! Misa wants to be in the next picture!"

L was rubbing the side of his face that had been rammed onto the younger man. "Light-kun has a very hard head…"

Countless pictures of Misa (most with Light and not L, though he wasn't complaining) later, she finally sat back on the couch, satisfied. Sachiko was simply overwhelmed by the concept of her son as Santa and his girlfriend Mrs. Claus, so the never-ended photo shoot hadn't bothered her at the slightest. Sayu, however, was longingly looking at the rest of the presents while Soichiro stared longingly at the kitchen. L was left to fiddle with his thumbs and to his thoughts, which varied from cake to modern existentialism. Well...mostly cake.

"Big brother, get on with the gifts already! I want my presents!" Sayu whined.

"Fine, I'm getting to it…"

Light turned back to the tree, crouching down to get more gifts to pass out. L had to do little except hand over the occasional box if the younger man's hands got too full, so he spent the majority of his time standing in the middle of the room and staring at nothing in particular.

That is, until Light had to get to the small gifts that were all the way under the tree on the other side. The tree was up against a wall, so this meant he couldn't necessarily walk around to the other side to retrieve them easily. So, this meant that he had to get on his hands and his knees to reach back to where they lay hidden. That was when Sayu caught sight of something even better than stealing fresh gingerbread men when nobody was looking. Every now and then when Light was trying to get those hidden little presents, Ryuuzaki's gaze would shift for only a brief second or two to Light's exposed rear-end. It was as if he wasn't even aware he was even looking at the thing initially, the gaze was so brief. Ryuuzaki caught himself perhaps once or twice more, but Sayu was the only one who noticed.

Yes, it would be soon. Very soon, indeed.

"Well, I think that's about it," Light finally stated, pushing himself back onto his feet. He tore off the Santa hat at once and chucked it at Sayu. It hit her directly in the face.

"Heyyy!"

"Okay, everyone. Time to open presents," Soichiro finally proclaimed. He didn't so much care about his children's bickering as much as he cared about when he was going to eat some Christmas ham.

"Yay!" Sayu squealed. The hat slapping her in the face was long forgotten. This was serious business.

The youngest Yagami began tearing into her presents as if her life depended on it. Misa went to work at her own presents with a ferocity that perhaps rivaled Sayu's. The others, however, went at a leisurely pace while the girls' wrapping paper fell around them like snow.

L's eyes were rather wide at the stack of presents that had accumulated where he had been sitting. "This is…all mine?" He examined the tags and labels on the gifts, as if to make sure it wasn't a mistake.

"Of course they are!" Sachiko replied. "You thought we wouldn't get anything for one of Light's closest friends, did you?"

The detective moved some of his things onto the floor so he could sit. Or rather, what he did that resembled sitting. He pulled up his first gift, which was a medium-sized box with red and white striped wrapping paper. It just so happened that that particular one had been from Light. He peered over to the auburn-haired man, who was currently sitting on the other side of the couch beside Misa. The chain that stretched across her lap apparently didn't deter her from opening presents at the slightest.

However, he had to focus on the thing in his hands. No one paid him any mind, so L lifted the box to his ear. There seemed to be nothing strange about it. So, he started tearing away at the paper and discarding it on the floor as the others seemed to be doing. Underneath was only a plain brown box, but upon opening it…

He moved his fingers across a bit of blue fabric he had pulled out. "Is this…a Snuggie?"

Misa paused in her gift-opening frenzy to peer over. "Huh. It sure looks like one."

Light turned his head slightly, finding that the detective's gaze was already on him. It unnerved him, because he really couldn't tell what the man was thinking. Did he hate the thing or what? His eyes were wide (as usual) and unblinking. Light shifted uncomfortably in his seat, waiting for a reaction from L.

"I've been wanting a Snuggie for ages, but I always have forgotten to order one since I get so busy… Thank you very much, Light-kun."

"Oh, um…you're welcome." _Way to go and act like an idiot._ He wanted to smack himself in the forehead.

Light focused back on his own gifts. Currently, he found himself holding a simple flat box. Taking a look at the tag attached, he was currently in the possession of a gift from L. Go figure; the guy had practically bought Macy's and stuffed it into the boxes in his living room. All he had to do was remove its blue ribbon. He opened the lid and was thenceforth baffled at what he saw.

"Ryuuzaki…"

L was currently chewing on some candy canes that had come in a ginormous barrel from someone else in the room. "Yes, Light-kun?"

"How…much in on this card?"

"Ah. The gift card? Well, that's for you to figure out. Either you can spend some of it at the store it's from, or call a sales associate and read them the bar code. I'm not telling, though." He chewed another hunk off of the cane in his hands. "I assume it's your kind of store? You dress in formal wear frequently, and that is something they do well…"

"Yeah. Thank you, Ryuuzaki."

He stared back down at the card. Saks Fifth Avenue. _Saks fucking Fifth Avenue_. It was easy to walk out of the door having spent over eighty-thousand yen. Which really made him wonder how much L had decided to put on the card, if spending so exorbitantly was so easy there? If L had gotten him anything else, what could top a gift card to one of the priciest clothing stores from America in Japan? Somehow, his hands had gotten a hold of L's second and final gift to Light.

It was a square-ish box, perhaps the size of two shoe boxes combined. What was underneath the paper wasn't very impressive; it was just all white. He carefully opened up the lid of the thing and peered inside. For perhaps the first time in his life, he was speechless. He knew L paid such close attention to details that it was almost mind-boggling, but for him to have remembered this… Gingerly he pulled out the box's contents, sitting a fluffy vanilla-colored bear on his lap.

It was almost exactly like the one he used to have growing up.

Sayu, as young as she was, wouldn't have been able to remember the bear. However, she noticed the look on his face, despite the lengths he went to hide his shock. Light ignored her for the time being and switched his gaze to L furtively. The detective now had a stack of candy _and_ books at his feet. He'd pick the newly unwrapped novels up and flip through a few pages in the beginning, then set them down with the rest to go on to the next gift. He didn't appear to know that Light was looking over at him… He tore his gaze from the raven-haired man to look down at the bear in his arms. He would keep it safely there as he went on to open the remainder of his presents.

"Ooh…"

L was now holding a thick black jacket in front of his face. He turned it around to look at the clothing item at all angles. It was as if he'd been given the biggest slice of strawberry cake in the world with how wide his eyes were (if they could get any bigger).

"What's that?" Sayu chirped, having taken her first pause from opening presents. She only had two left, anyway.

"It's a Gerbing heated jacket from your brother. I tend to not fare very well in cold weather, so this will be excellent for when I go outside. Again, thank you very much Light-kun." He began exploring the jacket's pockets, which were apparently heated as well. One thing was for certain: _He_ wasn't going to be turning into a popsicle anytime soon. Why hadn't he thought of purchasing such a jacket for himself before. Oh, that was right. He never really went outside. Fair enough.

It would be a half-hour later before the last gift would be unwrapped. Sayu and Misa had finished within a mere five to seven minutes and were head to toe in new clothes, jewelry, and other doodads. L was the last to finish, seeing as though he took a break every couple of minutes to eat some of his candy that he'd accumulated.

"All right, everyone. Since we're all done with our gifts, I'm going to get things ready for dinner," Sachiko announced, a new necklace shimmering around her neck. Light assumed it was from their father, who made it a point to get her some nice jewelry each year. "We should be ready to eat in about one hour, so make sure that you're ready by then."

After their mother had left, Sayu switched her gaze to Light. Immediately feeling suspicious of her, he frowned.

"Oh, Light… There's this one thing I forgot to mention to you…"

Light just continued to frown. He knew it was coming. He could feel it in his bones. She was going to say something that would invoke such rage only a little sister could create in him.

"While you were gone, I didn't just mess with your closet… I kind of rearranged everything in your bookcase a few days ago, too. Sorry. I got bored."

"Sayu."

"Yes…?" she said, oh so innocently.

"You should be very, very grateful that this is Christmas. Otherwise, I would –"

" –have my head on a pike. Yeah, yeah. I know. You've used that one before a billion times. Still hasn't happened."

"Light-kun, where are we going?" L could feel his arm being dragged over the couch, away from his sweet, sweet candy… It was heart-shattering.

"We're going to my room. Misa, I'll be back in a little bit. Keep Sayu away. _Far _away." The disgruntled Yagami began trudging up the stairs, L in tow.

"Misa-Misa will keep her away, don't worry~!"

_**Slam!**_

Well, they were now in his bedroom. L had just barely scrambled in before the door took a bite out of him. He remembered the place from the security cameras (which he certainly wasn't going to tell Light about). It was as neat and organized as always, but Light was still not pleased at the slightest. He strode over to his closet, flinging open the doors and letting out a groan. L peered over his shoulder.

"Well…"

"Can't you _see?_ The pants are mixed with the shirts, they're not in color-order, my shoes at the bottom are all mixed up and not with their match…"

Sighing, L chose to walk away from Light in his state of extreme distress. And here he thought Light had too many clothes over at the task force building. His closet in his home was utterly jam-packed full of dress shirts, slacks, more dress shirts, dress shoes, ties, and the most expansive belt collection he knew of.

There was nothing out of the ordinary in Light's bedroom, except… The detective walked over closer to the desk by the window. There was a set of keys left still in the lock. To any ordinary person, they would notice the fact that the keys would be in such an obvious location and merely conclude that there was nothing of importance in that particular drawer. However, it was too obvious, which meant there _was_ something in the drawer. L quickly glanced over his shoulder. Light was still desperately trying to fix the contents of his closet, so perhaps he would take no notice of him if he snooped for a minute or two.

Soundlessly, L slid the unlocked drawer open. However, he was only faced with a simple diary. No Death Note. Damn it. Unless…

His fingers deftly felt around the bottom of the drawer. Sure enough, he found something else out of the ordinary: a hidden bottom in the drawer. He lifted the sheet of wood just slightly, but stopped himself. No, it would be too easy. There had to be more to it. Gently he let the wood back down, the diary still resting upon it. The contents of the visible book were barely important. He wanted to investigate the peculiar drawer further, but…it was too risky with Light only a few feet behind. That, and he was beginning to feel as if he were simply looking too far into things. What if he was merely hiding something personal he didn't want his parents to see? What if the diary on top was a decoy, and the real one lied beneath? Dissatisfied, he closed the drawer soundly and turned back around. Sure enough, Light was still consumed by his work with the closet.

L glanced at the wall clock in the room. Apparently they had already been in the room for five minutes. He had been examining the desk for longer than he thought.

"Light-kun…"

"Yeah, what?" he asked, several hangars of pants in his hands.

"How long are you going to keep at that? I want to eat more of my Christmas candy… I had at least seven different varieties of candy canes. _At least._"

Light grumbled, "Oh, whatever. This is going to take as long as it needs to. You can thank Sayu for it."

L sighed. Perhaps he'd wait just a little bit longer before poking at the dragon again. Well, his little sister had mentioned that she tampered with his bookshelf, hadn't she? Perhaps if he tried to fix things, Light wouldn't continue with his rampage of organization. It was only a few feet away to the left, and it was certainly a mess. L wanted to assume the auburn-haired man organized his books by author and not some bizarre Light method. If it was the former, then Sayu certainly had done quite a job on it. Hemmingway was in between Shakespeare and Steven King, then there was volume three of an encyclopedia set to the right along with Hawthorne. He began pulling a few volumes off the shelves. The encyclopedia set had its own area, then there were the alphabetical groups. Just as he set down Yoshimoto's _Asleep_, he noticed something out of place. But, it had nothing to do with the bookcase.

It was a wonder he had paid it no mind until now. Perhaps it was because all Light had bothered to turn on was a single lamp. Perhaps he had gotten too absorbed with the lock in the drawer with the keys still in it. Perhaps Light's anxiety was considerably distracting. However, it did not change the fact that every square foot of Light's ceiling had mistletoe.

It was a trap.

But…had Light even noticed? Highly unlikely, seeing how focused he was on his task.

Therefore, it was up to him to reveal his discovery to Light. It was time for an investigation.

He shuffled back over to where Light stood in front of the closet. He wasn't even noticed. So, with a single finger he tapped lightly on the other man's shoulder. It took several tries, actually. Was he really that willing to sacrifice that much awareness for a closet?

"What is it _now_, Ryuuzaki?"

The _nerve_ of that man. He didn't even bother to turn around.

"Firstly, we are behind closed doors. That alias isn't necessary. Secondly," he grabbed Light by the shoulders and spun him around, continuing, "you need to stop your obsessive organizing for just one moment. There is something very important that I've discovered about your room."

The detective's gaze made him stop dead in his tracks. Light nearly dropped the maroon button-up in his hands. Surely he hadn't… He cleaned out that desk long ago, hadn't he? Surely L had been snooping around with his backed turned on him. Damn it! If L found a piece of incriminating evidence still in his room, as impossible as it was, he'd –

"There is something on your ceiling. Actually, a lot of something."

His heart pounding in his ears, Light slowly turned his gaze upward…and found himself staring at countless clumps of mistletoe. It didn't take long before the gears started to turn in his head once more.

"Damn it. It was Sayu," Light remarked lowly. "She knew this would happen all along and I played right into her hands."

"So you did. Wit must run in the family." L took a single step forward. It wouldn't be noticed.

"I don't know what she planned to achieve by this, other than my humiliation…"

"This is humiliating for Light-kun?" He tilted his head to the side slightly.

Light went ahead to drape the shirt over his arm instead of letting it wrinkle in his grasp. "Well, yes. You're –"

"A man? A friend? Or perhaps it is because I am L? Which bothers you more, I wonder. Or…is it something else?" Another step.

Light could feel his face growing slightly warm. Damn it, what was he getting at? Moreover, how was it that L could somehow _always manage to be right?_ But what could be 'something else,' anyway? What other realm of possibility was there? He didn't particularly like where the conversation was headed, and L seemed to have thought far enough ahead to be holding most of the cards. He was currently in control, not Light, and it was downright unnerving. Of course Light didn't feel attraction toward men. He had Misa, and numerous girlfriends before her, hadn't he? So naturally, that didn't make him feel any better about the situation. And, in the ridiculous scenario of Kira being attracted to the person whose sole purpose was to hunt him down and lock him away for all eternity, how would that sort of thing even work? How could two so greatly opposing forces ever hope to do anything? Again, impossible. Not only would he never fall for such a trap, but _no one_ would feel particularly inclined to be involved with a detective that countless criminals wanted to get rid of. L's life was downright dangerous.

"Does it even really matter?" Light managed to say. Suddenly, it appeared that L was much closer than he had thought.

"Perhaps it does. Perhaps it doesn't."

Damn it, he was another step closer. Surely he wasn't going to…

"Though, as you very well know, Light-kun, we still must abide to all December holiday traditions. And…"

Shit, fuck, and other expletives. Why wasn't he getting away? Why wasn't he trying to run out of the room? He could feel the detective's heavy gaze still on him, and he made the mistake of meeting those eyes. Light's fate was sealed as soon as that happened. Those black eyes swallowed him whole.

"…there is far more mistletoe than there was last time."

Before Light had the chance to draw in another breath, he was pushed against the wall behind him and his mouth was assaulted. The last time, all L had done was given him a peck, and not even on the lips. Now, though, he could feel the warmth of the detective's mouth pressed against his own and palms resting on the side of his face. Any kind of logical thought had left him completely with those lips. Still too frozen, he found he could do little but sense the man's tongue slide lazily across one of his own lips, as if begging to go further. A shiver ran through his entire body.

Apparently, the action had been just enough for L to sneak through. Light fought back a moan as the detective's tongue assaulted his own while simultaneously pressing their bodies against each other. There was not an inch of space between them, and L was still claiming his mouth. If he had made any attempts against him, they had been feeble ones. He could only let his arms hang loosely at his sides and leave his eyes closed tightly. L tasted so sweetly of candies he'd eaten, of cakes he partook in daily, and…

…he was kissing back? He was far too lost to pay the thought that much mind. Apparently, something had clicked and he found his hands resting on the detective's back, only pulling him closer. A small sound came from somewhere in L's throat, but he still was clearly at work on dominating the younger man. However, now the person he had been controlling was fighting back. It proved to only excite him, making his kiss all the more fervent and excited.

Neither one cared who exactly the other person was. There were only two hearts beating madly against each other, two pairs of lungs pumping air sporadically, two people sharing a kiss. A kiss that, perhaps, was showing more of themselves than they would have ever cared to admit. The pair continued the kiss desperately, pulling each other closer as if they were aware that the moment was only temporary, as if it wouldn't ever really return. Anything after that would have some kind feeling, feelings with they had so often tried to evade and push into the darkest corners in fear of actually facing them. Nothing thereafter would ever be so simple, if there was one. Fear kept them pressed together, knowing that it would end.

Just as the tide was beginning to turn and Light managed to make his way into L's mouth, a loud knock tore their attention from each other and to the door. Their breaths were still heavy and eyes barely open, not entirely out of the haze. The knocking only continued, and it grew louder each time.

"Liiiiight. Dinner's gonna start in ten minutes! You'd better get your butt down here!"

It was then that L finally released his hold on Light, taking several steps backward. His gaze switched to the floor at once, causing his face to become hidden by a wall of messy black hair.

Light found the absence of the other body to be shockingly cold. He had to prop himself against the wall still, bringing a hand to his forehead. Somehow, he found his voice and shouted back (weakly) to his little sister.

"I'll be there! Just give me a minute, okay? The closet is just about finished."

"Okay! See you soon!" Her footsteps sounded down the stairs.

The two sets of eyes flickered to each other, the reality of the situation having finally hit them. Utter disbelief reigned supreme. They seemed to search each other for any kind of answer but any kind of words they could have formed dried up on their lips. Light was first to break the stare, switching to look back at the door.

"We…we should get down there. They're waiting on us." He started to move toward the door, trying to hide the fact that it took an extreme amount of effort to hold in the shaky feeling that still plagued his body.

L did not respond. He merely followed.

Funny, how he ended up getting more questions than answers…

* * *

It was official. Light was now a part of the strangest dinner of his entire life.

Due to the inconvenience of the chain, he and L could do little else other than sitting next to each other. The tension between them was thick, but only they seemed to feel it (which was a relief). Misa sat directly across from him and talked his ear off, or it was a battle of the mouths. Sayu's endless prattle against Misa's. It was such a force that unchecked could continue indefinitely. Then there were those glances Sayu would steal at him and L… Surely she had no idea. There was no way.

Light could remember that his parents had asked him how his first semester at the university had gone, and he'd given some sort of answer. Misa talked some more. Sayu kicked his shins. L sat in his usual, oddball way with only desserts on his plate.

He brought another bite of ham to his mouth and chewed. Somehow, his mouth couldn't pick up on its flavor any longer. Was he really that distracted? In any case, he began to reach for the pepper shaker that sat inches away from his plate. At the same time, L went to grab for his glass of water. The two hands brushed each other for only a fraction of a second, but…it was as if a jolt of electricity had passed. No one noticed; they were too busy eating or gabbing.

"Hey, mom," Sayu said, finally taking a break from her conversation with Misa, "do you think I could eat something like what Ryuuzaki has? Pleaseee?"

"Sayu, absolutely not. You still have those peas and that ham on your plate."

"But that's not – "

After swallowing a spoonful of pudding, L spoke, "It's completely necessary, I'm afraid. My body cannot handle large amounts of vegetables, protein, or meat fat. I would get sick otherwise."

"Ohhh. So you only eat sweets, huh? Lucky!"

"They're delicious, yes, but not entirely… You get dependant on sugar and caffeine. Stick to your peas and ham, trust me." In went another bite of pumpkin pie.

The chatter would return to normal and the dinner would continue as it had. Light, however, made a point to keep his hands to himself.

* * *

Next on the agenda was games. Even with the addition of L and Misa, the numbers were still even and teams were therefore possible. Sachiko had teamed with her husband and Sayu had put a claim on being Misa's partner, so L and Light were left to form their own team. Sayu just knew that keeping them together was going to be enormously entertaining, but…she hadn't thought past that. They started up with a game of Sequence, and it wasn't until the first couple of plays that they all came to the same crushing realization: they just put in the same team the two most intelligent students in Japan. Or, as Soichiro knew, the smartest student in Japan and the world's greatest detective. They wouldn't stand a chance.

And, it was incredibly humiliating. In a matter of minutes the two had gotten their first sequence, thus winning the first game. Even after their method of using Morse Code was realized, it still didn't level the playing field at the slightest. Soichiro had some skill in poker, but his attempts were in vain. Light wanted to chuckle to himself when they pulled out Clue soon after. He could even see his father release a heavy sigh, thinking along the same lines as he was. L won on his fifth turn after having entered only one room with his Professor Plum piece. Jenga saw similar results. How could someone with such twitchy hands manage to stack those blocks so high, anyway? No matter what game they procured, the Light and L team would sweep the floor, or it would be a fierce competition between the two minds.

The games were truly a relief for Light, though. He had something to occupy his thoughts with, whether it be a puzzle or a strategy. Logic was safe and had no emotional complications. The tension that had controlled him since dinner had been able to slacken, and perhaps even L seemed more at ease. Games were safe and distracting. Sayu still made faces at him, of course. And finally it seemed there was a player in the Yagami household who was even worse than Sayu herself: Misa. Well, not that it was surprising, but it made for an interesting combination. He likened them to Tweedledum and Tweedledee. The thought made Light smirk. Everything was going along swimmingly.

Until…

"Mommmm," Sayu whined, "can we stop playing games now? I'm tired of losing and the only people that ever win are Light and Ryuuzaki. This sucks."

"Well, they have won every game…"

Soichiro pushed back his chair and stood, pretty uninterested at the concept of losing more games as well. "Let's start the movie. Sayu, go grab the cookies and drinks."

"YAY! Thanks, dad!"

Light noticed L shift his position just slightly out of the corner of his eyes. Was he eager to see the movie, or was there something else? Perhaps he planned to execute a plan, but even then he wouldn't give away his intentions. It was strange.

"Yagami-san, may I ask what movie we will watch?" L asked suddenly, his gaze focused on the police chief.

"Well, we watch the same movie on Christmas each year. It's _A Christmas Story_. Have you heard of it?"

Candy cane in hand, L stood from the table as well. "Yes, I have. It has been a number of years since I've seen it last."

The game table was cleared and the six eventually made their way into the living room. Everyone seemed to take the seating they'd assumed earlier when opening (or tearing into) presents. Sachiko took to the loveseat with Soichiro, Sayu claimed the recliner while clad in new fuzzy slippers, and Light was stuck again between Misa and L on the couch. Misa clung to one of his arms as if it were the last day she would see him for months (which he wished was true). L, however, sat in his usual way while nibbling on his last candy cane. The lights were turned off, trays of cookies were distributed (Light's and Misa's was eagerly claimed by L, and they could've cared less), the DVD started up, and Soichiro would press play.

Ten minutes into the film, most of which were opening credits, Light had noticed nothing out of the ordinary about anyone. Sayu turned into her movie-watching zombie form while Misa still clung and donned a typical void expression. His parents cuddled, something he didn't really care to watch that much. So, all that was left to check on was, of course, L. He didn't appear to have moved at all. He had a cookie in his mouth and his eyes were set on the screen. Okay, so maybe Light could actually relax and enjoy the film. Nothing weird was going on with L, despite his fidgeting earlier. Everything was fine.

Irony, however, was a cruel mistress. His right arm which was free and rested at his side didn't stay that way for very long. A cold pair of fingers just barely ghosted over the back of his hand. It took everything for him to keep the rest of his body calm and unresponsive to the sudden touch. He couldn't avert anyone's attention. He stole a glance at the detective. L still sat there innocently, still watching the movie. Light would just ignore him and maybe then he'd be left alone.

Ten minutes later, when he had dropped his guard only slightly, L's clammy hands made a comeback. Rather than just barely traveling over his skin, they were daring to entwine themselves in his own fingers. Light froze. What was he supposed to do? If he made a move to shake L's hand away, the movement could be large enough for someone like Sayu to notice, especially if L kept a firm grip. However, the hand had left just as quickly as it came. Light let out a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding. He switched his gaze to the detective for another brief moment. Sure enough, he still appeared to be looking straight ahead at the film on the screen. The bastard.

For the rest of the movie, Light remained on edge. Any moment he expected to be "assaulted" again. It was only a matter of time. Even at the infamous leg lamp scene, nothing had happened since the second contact. He fidgeted in his seat slightly. When would he make his next move, and could he do anything about it other than just sit there and take it? He wasn't comfortable with this strange kind of control the detective had attained out of the blue. It was nearly impossible to focus on the movie anymore.

L nibbled on his second-to-last oatmeal raisin cookie. It was particularly delicious. He immensely regretted not taking out his newly acquired Snuggie for the film, but the sleeves may have hindered his plans. No one cared to take notice of when his hands would leave his knees and silently travel over to Light's unsuspecting right hand. He kept his reactions to the touch very well hidden, L had to admit. Even he nearly didn't notice them. However, the auburn-haired man's eyes would blink once or twice and the muscles in his fingers would stiffen ever so slightly. He was nervous, and likely very confused. However, L found he could still draw a conclusion from his findings.

They were very, very interesting indeed. He brought his last cookie to his mouth and continued nibbling.

He had one last thing up his sleeve, though.

* * *

L and Light were the first ones to leave. The detective had claimed there was something of importance he had to attend to back at his place that dealt with his job, so Soichiro practically shoved them out the door. They had hurriedly stuffed their things into boxes and thrown their coats on (L opted for his new coat) and they were on the sidewalk. Sayu whispered something to L on their way out, but he merely looked back at her and made no response. She giggled and headed back inside. What was that? His mother (and Misa) smothered him in kisses during the bizarre exchange.

The limousine waited patiently on the road in front of the house. L went ahead and handed his box of gifts to the elderly gentleman waiting at the trunk of the vehicle and waited for Light to do the same. Before he even knew it, their things were in and they were already seated in the back seats.

Now that they were finally alone in a sound-proof compartment and without mistletoe covering the ceiling, Light whipped around to face L. The detective had apparently already been staring at him, only blinking in response.

His voice ended up being a lot louder than he had planned, but he pressed on. "L, what the hell was that in the house!"

The detective's hands were still stuffed in his warm pockets. "There were many things that happened today, Light-kun. Please be more specific. Also, please use your inside-voice."

"You know exactly what I mean!"

"Hmmm…" A thumb traveled to his bottom lip. "You wouldn't happen to be referring to anything concerning this?"

In a flash, the hand that had been kept hidden in L's coat pocket appeared over their heads. Slowly, Light turned his gaze upward. Held delicately between two of L's pale fingers was a clump of mistletoe from his house. He could only stare slack-jawed at the thing. Surely, he still didn't plan on –

Before he had the chance to tear the detective to shreds in pure, unbridled rage, Light found himself falling onto his back, lying on the plush seats. A hungry mouth pressed itself back onto his own lips and he found that he could do little else but go along with things. He'd deal with the repercussions later. It was Christmas, after all.


	26. Whiners

Whoah. It's been way too long since the Christmas chapter. I really apologize, but going back to school wiped me out. I was so incredibly exhausted that first week back...

But here we are again. The holiday isn't mentioned between the two necessarily...but I'm certain you'll pick up on who's unknowingly participating. :) Also, this one's eventually more dialogue-heavy. I have my reasons, though. It focuses eventually on the simple box-step style of a waltz and, well...I don't fancy repeating the description of a box-step and I'm certain no one wants to hear about that, either. It's pretty repetitive.

However, this means some songs are mentioned. I highly recommend listening to them all throughout, especially the dialogue sections. They're all by Chopin, and I'm assuming the third is in a major key. The title of the video (that one song I don't have, the others I do) didn't specify.

**First** - Prelude No. 15 in D flat major, "Raindrops"  
**Second** - Waltz in E flat major, Op. 18  
**Third** - Waltz in A flat Op. 69 (Urtext Rubinstein 1963 recording)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! There's more to come, don't worry.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 26**  
Whiners Day  


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**

Light knew he was starting to rouse from his slumber. Consciousness was slowly but surely returning as were his senses. Touch came first. He could distinctly feel that he was most certainly _not_ in the bed. It wasn't an unpleasant new location by any means, but not nearly as comfortable as that bed had been. He'd always been confused as to why someone who never seemed to sleep would buy a bed of such high quality, but he wasn't about to complain. Light loved that bed perhaps more than his own. But, where was he now? For something soft, it was awfully lumpy. He shifted around just slightly, not wishing to alert L that he was partially awake. There were different sorts of blankets of varying thickness and textures and…pillows? It was as if the surface he was sleeping on was an afterthought. He'd gotten to somewhere with his blankets, realized there was no bed or other soft piece of furniture, and scattered random pillows on the floor. However, he distinctly remembered going to his own bed. Well, L's bed. He may have loved that bed, but he certainly didn't plan on forming an emotional attachment with it by claiming it as "his" in a sense. It was like naming an animal. At that point, there was no way you'd be able to rid yourself of it. Even if it was a hideous spider or house fly, Larry would have to stay. Light mentally shook his head of such thoughts. He had to continue to take in his surroundings to figure out where in the hell he was.

Sounds meandered into his ears. They were soft, perhaps gentle in such a way that even while completely awake he would have to concentrate to hear it properly. Light had to almost strain to hear what it was. A piano, perhaps? It could have very well been L's laptop. He didn't doubt that L probably kept music files on there as well, as he'd shown his own interest in music at the classical concert. Besides, when had he ever seen a piano in the task force building? It had to be a digital recording. Though he had to admit, whatever song it was, it was immensely soothing. He was almost tempted to sleep in a bit. Almost. The only thing that stopped him was the fact that Light Yagami simply never was the one to sleep in. That, and there was a major change in dynamics. Things went from a nice, quiet pianissimo to a rather robust forte. He was almost jolted completely awake.

Shit, was it _bright!_ He had to bring his hands to his eyes at once to block out those artificial rays. As he peered groggily through those hands, trying to adjust to the sheer amount of light, he began to remember some things. Yesterday had been Christmas. He had gone over with L to spend Christmas with his family. There were gifts. After gifts there had been… Oh. Dear. Lord. Surely that wasn't one of his memories, it had to have been a warped part of his dreams. Perhaps if he continued moving along and rifled through the day's events, it would make some sense. Yes, that had to be it. There was dinner. They had played games, and he and L beat everyone else miserably. A movie was popped in and…L had went for his hand twice. Twice. This was not looking good. Then they left to go back to the task force building and…well, fuck. They had made out for a second time that day, but in the back of the limousine. That made the time in his own bedroom actually real as well. This was not good. At all.

But what had happened _after _that? He had to dig even farther in his memory banks for that one. His brain simply wouldn't cooperate until he got coffee, so the task was particularly difficult. Well, he could remember that they had both felt the vehicle stop. With that L had torn himself away abruptly, and he'd only had the ability to think two things at that present time. One: _Look normal before Watari opens the door._ Two: _Did I seriously just make out with L the entire car ride from my house to the task force building? _That wasn't a petty five or ten minutes, it was a minimum of a twenty-five or thirty minute ride! Moreover…kissing L? Kissing. L. L! Was there _anything_ good about that? He swiftly pushed his conscience into a locked closet before it got a chance to point out to him the fact that he'd actually _enjoyed_ it. That sort of information he wasn't quite sure he could process without his head imploding. Kira wasn't about to kiss L. _Light_ wasn't about to kiss L.

Somehow they had made their clothes and hair look normal before the unusually spry elderly gentleman made his way to their door and opened it. L practically leapt out before Light got the chance to step out. He could only follow, still in a daze from the entire experience. Not only had it been the single longest amount of time he'd kissed someone but…as much as he loathed to admit it, L hadn't been too shabby at it. That fact really disturbed him, in retrospect. Wasn't the man supposed to be a social recluse? After that, it was almost as if they had completely ignored each other for what remained of the evening. He supposed it was pure shock and awkwardness, as he knew he hadn't been too inclined to look the detective in the eyes after…well…being far too comfortable with each other. How had they gone from throwing punches and kicks to _that?_ What had happened in between? At some point he'd fallen asleep in a t-shirt and sleep pants, but he was certain he fell asleep in bed.

So, how was he here? Wherever "here" was. His eyes had finally managed to adjust properly to the light around him. There were somewhat plain walls, though there was something slightly peculiar about them. There were odd sorts of panels here and there that appeared to serve to soak up reverberations, as if it were a room designed for music. The ground around him was a very shiny, well-taken care of panel flooring. One wall, he now noticed, was almost completely black and reflective. It seemed to be a glass of sorts, the kind you would imagine to see in interrogation rooms or recording studios. Still, it made no sense. L had never mentioned a music room in the task force building unless…

…he didn't want them to know there was a music room. But why did it matter, really? Why did he care to keep it a secret?

However, he couldn't help but come to realize that the sound of the piano he'd been hearing was much closer than he'd originally perceived. And, it sounded far more real than a digital recording. Light turned his head to look behind his shoulder. Behind him was perhaps the largest grand piano he had ever seen outside of a piano dealer's store. It was the kind of instrument that would utterly drain your pocketbook unless you had some serious cash to start with. And there L was, his feet actually touching the floor while sitting on that piano bench, playing the piano to himself. It was as he hadn't even noticed Light had jolted awake so suddenly. His eyes focused only on the keys and nothing else, bare feet working at the pedals. However, Light wasn't about to continue to sit there dumbly and listen to L play (even though he was unimaginably skilled at it). He had questions, and L was going to stop his god damned playing and answer them.

Stiffly, Light pushed himself onto his feet. The piece was winding down, that much he could tell. Offhandedly he noted that it sounded something like a Chopin piece, but the thought was quickly shoved aside. It didn't matter if he was playing Beethoven or Debussy. He made a few deliberate steps toward the piano bench and just as he drew the breath to begin to give the detective a proper Light Yagami morning verbal lashing the man started_ another_ piece. Oh, and it wasn't a calm little prelude or what have you like before, heavens no. It started out bright and loud and overall obnoxious. He felt his teeth grit together slightly in annoyance.

And then, just as he was about to try to say something for the second time, L went ahead and spoke, still going about with whatever piece he was occupying himself with. There wasn't any sheet music on the piano that he could see, so it was impossible to tell what he was playing in particular.

"Good morning, Light-kun. I'm afraid I had to transport you here last night. I got rather bored and I felt like playing so…here we are." There was then an abrupt key change, tempo change, dynamic change, and he _still _managed to start a conversation?

Well…he supposed that answered one of his questions. Still, he wasn't going to be letting him off so easily.

"What the hell was the deal with yesterday?" Light asked, voice forcedly calm. He wasn't about to let L rile him so soon, despite his lack of a morning coffee.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific," L responded, still moving his fingers about on the keys. The song went on without the slightest mistake. "It was Christmas, which is known to be a fairly eventful holiday, if I'm not mistaken."

"You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about."

"Do I?"

"Yes, you do!" Light hissed.

"Hmph. No need to be so ebullient, Light-kun."

Now he was just toying with him. Light was most certainly not in the mood for this.

"Cut the crap already, _L_." It felt strange to say the word aloud, but he pressed on. "I am seriously considering ending that waltz piece myself, perhaps with your face."

L stayed silent for a moment, perhaps focusing on the music, perhaps just ignoring Light.

"It seems I did not have enough foresight for this situation. If I had perhaps had Watari prepare a cup of coffee, then we would not be where we are…"

"This has nothing to do with the coffee, and you know it."

"Why is Light-kun so afraid to say outright what's bothering him?" The piece had grown more lax, L's eyes having never left the keys to look up at Light. "Could it be…that he is embarrassed by it? Or, even better than that, he is embarrassed that it was enjoyable?"

Light could feel his face growing red. For once, he was glad the detective was rude enough to keep on playing and prefer to look down at his piano. Light couldn't help but to feel a twinge of envy staring at that instrument. He'd never gotten to lay a finger on a piano of that scale of grandeur, and it had such a lovely tone… No, this wasn't about the piano. This was about yesterday and L.

"Even _if_ I did, it hardly even matters! Why did you do it in the first place?"

There was another bout of silence from L. It was difficult for Light to tell if the man was pondering the matter or not, however. The piece continued as it had earlier, unaffected by the conversation and perhaps even L's own thoughts. His pale fingers just went about their work as if they were detached, free-thinking things on auto-pilot. Just as Light was about to take matters into his own hands, L stopped his playing altogether with a rather loud clashing chord. Light had to shudder slightly at the sound with his trained ears since it was by no means a pleasant choice of notes. Which, upon further thought, L had probably intended on.

Chord, however, was quickly dampened. L spun around to face a very irate Light, his legs still hanging off of the piano bench. He stared for a few seconds, unblinking, before speaking.

"I'll give you a proper answer if you do something for me."

Light looked at him as if he were a madman. "Are you _insane_, I am absolutely not going to –"

"Relax, Light-kun. There is no mistletoe anywhere in the vicinity. I am referring to something entirely different."

Light could feel his muscles loosen ever so slightly. Well, if that wasn't it…what was he getting at, anyway?

"Follow me."

With that, he slid off of the bench and headed towards a door on the wall of the enormous sheet of black glass. Light trailed behind the hunched-over man, soon discovering that it was indeed a recording studio of sorts. However, it appeared that L wasn't entirely familiar with the equipment, as if it was new and he hadn't visited the area much. He fiddled around on a computer screen, going through hundreds of song files. It was long though until it appeared he found what he was looking for. With that, he simply shuffled back out of the room, dragging the younger man behind him.

Soon enough they had made their way across the smooth flooring, putting distance between themselves and the piano. Light still eyed him with suspicion, uncertain as to how he would proceed and when he'd actually be supplied with sufficient answers. L brought his large eyes back up to meet his.

"Do you know how to waltz?"

"Sure, I suppose, but…wait. Are you going to say what I think you're going to say?"

Blink. "If you mean 'Light-kun, if you expect me to answer you at all then you're going to have to join me in a waltz,' then yes. You would be correct."

"…I am not going to waltz with you."

"It's not as if this is a slow dance at your high school prom. The tempo for the quarter note is well over one-hundred, after all. You could say that it sounds Viennese."

"It's…been a while since I waltzed. We could…discuss it over coffee?"

L let out a heavy sigh. "You act as though I'm going to give you cooties. If that were the case, you would clearly already have them by now. So, we should assume the position seeing as though the song will begin in precisely twelve more seconds."

Before Light had another chance to get a word in, L had already taken hold of both of his arms. One of his hands was placed on the detective's shoulder, the other held gingerly in L's own hand. Light could feel himself flinch at the sudden contacts, especially when he felt L's other hand make its way to his waist. So it appeared that L had assumed the lead. How was he not surprised?

L seemed to be unaffected. "We'll do a simple box-step to maintain conversation, primarily."

"Why, of all things, did you decide to ask for me to dance with you?"

"Ah-ah. No questions until the song has started."

Light gave in, allowing himself to roll his eyes. It wasn't long until the soft tinkling of piano keys was heard over speakers in the room, signaling the beginning. L was quick to go into the dance. He had a straight posture, something that Light had taken notice of at once. He supposed a slouch would have been impossible, but the sudden change was startling almost. And, the detective had been right about one thing. The song, whatever it was, was initially very brisk indeed. In fact, it appeared to be identical to the one he had been playing last.

Momentarily forgetting his task while trying to keep up with the waltz's pace and remembering how to do the dance in the first place, Light ended up asking a rather trivial question. "Ah, what's the song…and composer?" He focused his gaze right _over_ L's shoulder, not too keen on looking him in the eyes. They had a comfortable distance now and he wasn't about to get trapped looking into those eyes.

He answered easily, "Waltz in E flat major, Op. 18 by Chopin."

Light felt a frown tug at his lips. This wasn't supposed to be a recreational activity. He wouldn't so easily be distracted and lose sight of his goal. He needed some kind of insight on what possessed L to suddenly think it was a perfectly good idea to make out profusely with a murder suspect. Where had his logic disappeared off to?

"Please do explain why you decided to…kiss me yesterday."

Light stole a glance over at L's expression, which perhaps faltered only slightly. He didn't answer so quickly this time around, leaving Light to focus on the steps and the tune. Neither had any shoes on really, Light wearing only his socks and L in his usual barefoot. It made for an interesting waltz, to say the least…

"Well…"

Here it was. He was going to get a god damned answer already. It had to be part of L's absurd December investigation, he just knew it. Any moment now…

"…I don't really know."

"…excuse me?"

"I will repeat myself only once, which I often will not do. I don't know."

"_WHAT?"_

"Inside-voice. You're louder than the music, Light-kun."

"What do you mean, you don't know! You have to know _something!_"

"Very well." The tempo of the piece had slowed. "I had a certain motivation that caused me to decide to act as I did, but…I am questioning whether or not that was my original intent. I do not wish to delve into specifics. But essentially, I have begun to confuse myself. Or rather, you have as well."

"Oh? And how have I done that, exactly? I wasn't aware that I was."

"Hmmm…nothing in particular." L's hand readjusted itself with Light's, causing the younger man to tense slightly. "You haven't been doing anything out of the ordinary. Or rather, you have been acting as you would in certain situations."

"How wonderfully vague of you." _His_ _hands_ _feel incredibly soft… Wait, no. No. Not going down that route. Back to business. _"Why do you choose to be vague in your answers?"

Another tempo change. Things were faster again, and Light could've sworn they had gotten just a smidgen closer than before… Then again, it was nearly impossible to tell. His mind was too preoccupied with the dance and staying on task.

"I can't exactly give you a proper answer because I can't think properly myself. No matter how many strawberries, candies, cakes, pies, cookies, puddings, cherries, mousses, tarts, crumbles, or chocolates I've eaten these past six hours, I can't quite seem to get my brain to return to its normal processing capabilities…"

"Six hours…? I fell asleep at ten, so that makes now…"

"Four AM. To be specific, four sixteen AM."

"So instead of sleeping, which I should be doing…I'm waltzing…with you."

"That is correct. But, this is more productive."

Light sighed heavily at the realization of his loss of precious sleep. "Why did you even want to dance with me in the first place? Surely you could be doing better things, too." _Like analyzing me, which you're probably up to now…_

"Well, I haven't had a dance partner in several years. I'm typically very busy, as you well know…and I stay inside for the most part. Watari has aged too much to be a proper dance partner, after all. My last one was…my dance instructor, six years ago? Yes, that sounds right. Another 'why,' if you'd like to call it that, is that you were very tense upon waking. I thought a nice waltz would allow you to loosen up and have some entertainment." L's feet still managed to move across the floor silently, not once stepping on Light's in carelessness. "You haven't had any proper physical activity for some time, also. The only time which I can remember is our tennis match, which was ages ago…"

"I see…" Damn. Now what? "I'm still on your Kira suspect list. I assume that goes without saying, correct?"

"Agreed. Where is Light-kun going at with this?"

"If I am on that list, why would you decide to kiss someone who could potentially be a mass-murderer? Don't you regret taking that risk?" It did seem fairly reckless, even for L.

"No."

Huh. He hadn't expected that one. "What…what do you mean? 'No'?"

"Simply put, it was my first kiss. And, it was rather pleasant. So, whether it be from Kira or Miss America, I do not regret it. I imagine it's something everyone values, no matter who it was who gave it to them…"

It was official. His brain actually had imploded now. L had used his first kiss on him, admitted that he liked it, and on top of that claimed that he would practically treasure the memory. Light was at a loss for words. What was he supposed to do? Well, it was obvious he had to continue the waltz. It didn't sound very wise to bolt from the room all of a sudden, which would be a rather foolish attempt anyway seeing as though L was still chained to him. Since he couldn't necessarily come up with any responses or further questions because of his temporarily out of order brain, Light figured it would be best to keep his mouth firmly closed and continue with the dance.

Though all of a sudden, it sounded as though the piece had changed into an entirely different one. L's grip had not lessened on his hand nor had his hand left Light's waist. Therefore, he could do little but keep at it. It was L who broke the "silence" amid the new piece.

"Who was Light-kun's first kiss?"

Not having expected the question, Light's eyebrows furrowed. He didn't bother to look at the detective's features, so he was uncertain in the man was gazing at him or not. He simply couldn't wrap his mind around the concept that L wasn't continuing to watch his every move, analyze his each and every word… He inhaled briefly. Right. Worry about L's question first.

"I suppose…a girl in my junior high school." Light continued to rifle through his memory banks, digging for specifics. He barely noticed that his feet no longer had a problem keeping up with the dance, moving along with L's most nicely. "Her name started with an 'I.' The school had a dinky little dance, and my parents saw it as an important social function. She was the first one I ran into the day after my parents told me that, and…I thought it was only proper to kiss her after the evening of the dance."

"I see. Was there anything spectacular about it?"

Light swallowed, immediately comparing his innocent little peck on the lips with the girl to…whatever that had been with L.

Voice still quite level, Light replied, "No, not really. We were both young." How were they talking about personal matters, anyway? Hadn't he been trying to avoid this sort of thing to begin with? But what if L wasn't analyzing him…? He claimed that he was confused, hadn't he? A thought then struck him. What if he threw something else into the mix to further bewilder L?

"L?" The name still was unreal to say aloud.

"Yes, Light-kun?"

"About that…well, the formality, that is. You've allowed me to call you by your name rather than an alias, so it only seems proper that you don't tag any more honorifics to my name. It's hardly necessary. I've spent well over a month chained to you, for god's sake…"

"I suppose that's fine…Light."

An odd sort of feeling settled in Light's stomach. Suspicion, perhaps? Why had the detective said it in such a manner, anyway? Sure, it was only natural to see how a word sounded on the lips, but to linger on it like that… Still caught off-guard by the sound of his own name, Light decided to steal another glance at L. L, however, was staring right back at him. Not only that, but Light found they had steadily gotten closer throughout the second piece. How hadn't he noticed something like that? Was he really able to get careless and feel that comfortable around the detective? The rush of sensory information came into his mind like a wave.

"My head's not feeling…too well," Light found himself saying.

L's dark black eyes still stared into his own. "Perhaps a bit light-headed?"

"Yeah…"

L's head tilted to the side only slightly. "I feel the same. Perhaps it's from all the spinning." The two pairs of feet finally slowed to a halt, though the detective's eyes had the younger man held hostage. L, however, continued on, "Maybe we should stop…"

Unable to move a muscle, Light could only remark in a quiet tone, "We _have_ stopped."

"Light, I…"

Light finally found he could blink, quickly saying, "Yes?"

Mere inches were the only thing that separated them. Fear pumped through Light, realizing that the detective had minimized that gap, but ever so slightly. Could he pull away this time around? He wasn't bound to any holiday rules as far as he could tell. But those eyes…he thought he could see –

"Never mind," L said suddenly, dropping Light's hand and removing his own hand from the other's waist. "You're doing fine. Waltzing, that is… Thank you." He drew away from Light, returning to his typical slouch, and headed back to the studio room. The last few bars of the tune still trickled through the speakers ever so softly.

Light felt oddly cold at the sudden leave of his dance partner. He followed just enough to allow L to get to the computer he'd visited previously, the detective then turning off the music and devices altogether. Light's eyes followed him as he shuffled back out as well, unsure of exactly what had almost happened.

"I need to get back to work on the investigation," L stated, reverting back to his usual monotone. It was a security blanket and Light spotted it a mile away. "You may go back to sleep in the bed while I work on my laptop, Light."

Somehow, sleep didn't sound all that plausible anymore.


	27. Fruitcake

It's been way too long, I know. My apologies! School started back up with a vengeance. Lots of late nights and stuff. I did manage to get a number of snow days with which I used some of my time to plan out further the next couple chapters. There are only five left! At the very most, maybe six. Excluding this one, that is.

I'm clearly way behind schedule at this point. At the latest, I wanted this finished in January, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen anymore. But, I'll most definitely finish this by the end of February at the very latest. This last stretch is the most important, and I want to make sure they're of quality and not stuff I tried to slap together and update as fast as I could.

Anyway, I listened to a few songs for this particular chapter. They were _Tongue-Tied_ by Aqualung and _24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 in D flat major "Raindrops"_ by Chopin (again). Both were played while writing, but they hold some significance, too.

As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed and has continued to follow the story! But, of course, I love new faces as well. I may do something special for the 200th reviewer (Ha, just watch. No one will review now just to spite me. In this case, I will go to my corner for a while and cry softly (Just kidding.).). Man, that's way too many parenthesis. Never doing that again. I apologize.

**Note:** Most of the time, the fic tends to be Light-centric. It'll switch to L at one point, but still is not first-person.

I don't own Death Note.

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December 27**  
Fruitcake Day**

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**

Evening had arrived, the sun already past the horizon. The windows were all drawn shut by the detective who hurried hither and thither around the floor in which they resided. Light had little choice but to follow. L would peer under chairs and couches, behind furniture, in drawers…. Every time Light would attempt to ask him what it was he appeared to be looking for the man would only look at him strangely and carry on with his obscure search. It was as if L expected him to be a telepath. Light would only get to sulk for a short moment, staring at a painting on the wall or at a potted plant, and then get dragged off to the next room to examine every square inch.

Currently, L was at work in the coat closet. Anything and everything on the top shelf was either pushed out of the way or thrown behind him. Light could barely dodge the barrage of flashlights, scarves, and miscellaneous blunt objects. He moved his arms to protect his face while L was oblivious to his state of peril. It didn't last long, however, as L crouched down to examine the various boots and whatnot in the bottom of the closet. Light breathed a sigh of relief. Though, they hadn't visited the kitchen just yet… He shuddered at the thought of L tossing plates and knives while Light stood behind him helplessly. Perhaps it would be best if he did help the detective in his search…if he even knew what he was looking for.

Just as Light was about to verbalize the proposition to the detective, he was silenced by L's voice.

"_There_ you are." Half of his body was still in the closet due to his digging in the depths. Light peered inside, curious. L continued, "I was wondering where you went. Now, we have things to do and you have eaten up a significant portion of our allotted time. You should feel ashamed."

Light couldn't tell exactly what it was. L's body blocked his view. Surely it wasn't anything living. He doubted L would misplace something animate. However, when did L ever lose anything, really? It was particularly odd. Perhaps even stranger was the fact that he was talking to the thing. He knew the man was eccentric, but still.

Finally L began to crawl back out, getting onto his feet at once. He turned around and held in his arms…

…a white Bengal tiger stuffed animal.

"Julia, Light, I'm sure you remember one another. Though it has been a while since you saw each other last, I will admit."

Almost instantly Light's mind procured his memories regarding the stuffed animal. He said quietly more to himself than L (or Julia), "Cotton Candy Day, December seventh…"

"Correct." He ran his fingers over the synthetic fur languidly, as if it was an actual cat in his arms. "She will be joining us in the festivities, as will your bear if he or she does so wish. Tell me, have you thought of a name for it?"

"No, not really…" Light admitted.

"Now _that_ is a problem. How will I be able to properly address them if they have no name? Though I suppose that would keep them safe from Kira…"

Light sighed. He couldn't really say anything about it, given it wasn't even an indirect accusation of him being Kira. However, L was making it clear that he was indeed still thinking of the case. The detective now looked to him expectantly, as if naming the stuffed bear was placed above anything else that had to be done. He still stroked the white tiger which stared unblinkingly at Light, very much like its owner. L should've purchased a panda…

"Its name is…Ted."

"How original."

"Look, it hardly even matters if it has a name or not. I'm not mocking your tiger's name, am I?"

L paused his stroking to hold the toy before Light. "I'll have you know Julia's name is very tasteful. Her name was derived from the similarly named Beatles song, after all. You do know of The Beatles, do you not?"

"Of course I know The Beatles. What do you take me for? And don't say Kira, for the love of god."

"The thought never crossed my mind…" He cuddled the tiger back to his chest. _Bullshit,_ Light thought to himself. Though holding the stuffed animal like that and with his thumb to his lips as L always did when contemplating things… L resumed, "Now that we've located Julia, we may begin today's holiday."

"It's something to do with food, right?"

"Naturally."

* * *

There on the neatly-made bed (courtesy of Light) was a tray of sorts that held an enormous, freshly baked fruitcake (courtesy of Watari). Steaming cups of some kind of liquid were at either nightstand. "Ted" had found his way onto the bed and had on his lap a doll's teacup, nothing really inside. Light merely observed the scene with a raised brow and found a spot on the side of the bed on which he slept. L set his tiger down carefully beside the bear before perching on his side. He took delicately took the knife provided on the tray and cut two generous slices, placing them on a pair of plates. Light was handed one along with a fork, but L frowned at his own portion.

Light, before eating the dessert, took a sniff of the contents in his cup. The scent was unmistakable; it was lavender. It was the sort of tea he'd indulge in to help him get to sleep, but knowing L there'd soon be three metric tons of sugar within _his_ tea. It defeated the entire purpose, really. However, there weren't any sugar cubes in sight. It was entirely likely Watari had added L's sugar beforehand, though it was still strange. Even stranger was that L was reluctant to eat a slice of _cake_.

"Is something the matter, L?" Light inquired.

L hesitantly poked at his fruitcake with a fork. "Yes, there is… The words of a fairly famous American comedian come to mind."

He wasn't…exactly sure what to make of that. He'd never actually witnessed the detective laugh, so why would he be knowledgeable on comedians' jokes? Light asked, "And those would be…?"

The fork was set down upon the plate. L still looked at the fruitcake with disapproval.

"'I don't understand fruitcake. It doesn't make sense. Fruit, good. Cake, great. Fruitcake, nasty crap.'"

"Have you even tried it before?"

L's gaze still hadn't met Light's. "No. I put my full faith in that man's judgment on food."

"Well, I will have you know that fruitcake tastes perfectly fine. In fact, Watari has proven to make your desserts excellently, hasn't he?"

"Yes, of course he has." L sighed, almost pouting. Almost. "I enjoy fruit and I enjoy cake. Some cakes are acceptable with fruit, such as strawberry shortcake. However this…this is a Frankenstein of fruit and cake, if you will. It looks questionable at best."

Light fought to keep his hands from covering his face. "You're acting extremely childish."

"But, you yourself would have to be childish in order to make that assessment, would you not?" L pushed around some crumbs with his fork, still not meeting Light's gaze. It reminded Light of how in youth to make it look as though you'd eaten your vegetables, you'd push them around a little and spread them out.

"That's totally irrelevant. You're being stubborn and picky. Something else I can _deduce_," he said, crossing his arms, "is that you dislike change."

L's fiddling with his fork and the fruitcake halted. It had made soft scraping sounds on what appeared to be the porcelain material of the plates. Now, however, there was a brief and slightly grating silence. Light felt a twinge of anxiety.

"Are you referring to my eating habits still?" L inquired softly. He peered through his hair dangling in his face, his back arched more than usual because of the food before him.

A wave of confusion went over Light. What else could he have been talking about? It was a simple observation. Any time that L had been confronted with a food that didn't have sugar of some kind within it, he turned up his nose. Light would have his persuasion skills put to the test to even get him to take a nibble or a spoonful. L hated to change what he ate and he would put up a battle of will like no other to prevent that change. He wondered briefly what would happen if L let up on the sugar for an extended amount of time… However, he was ripped from his thoughts upon realizing that L was still staring at him as if he was the one who ate the last cookie in the cookie jar. Needless to say, it was a look filled with suspicion.

"Of course I was. What did you think I meant by it?" Light's fork made its way to the fruitcake and took out a small bite-sized portion.

L set down the plate to his side near Julia. "Nothing. Forget I even mentioned it."

Of course, it had to have been another method of eliciting a reaction from him. He shouldn't have expected anything different. As Light finally brought the piece of fruitcake to his lips, L had taken his cup of tea and began to drink. Light didn't pay the action much mind until the detective's lips turned downward and he brought the cup up to take yet another drink. Fruitcake only partially chewed in his mouth, Light could only look at the man strangely. He never drank tea without what he deemed to be an appropriate amount of sugar, and here he was still drinking it without any additions of the substance when he was clearly dissatisfied. It looked as though he was forcing himself to drink medicine with the look of disgust on his face.

Finally swallowing the fruitcake, Light said, "L, out of curiosity…is there any sugar in your tea at all?"

The detective released a heavy sigh. "I'm afraid not…. It's not all that good without any sugar. But, if I am to sleep tonight I don't suppose adding copious amounts of sugar in this tea would help at the slightest. If anything, it defeats the entire purpose."

Wait, what? He was voluntarily giving himself up to sleep? L planned in advance to sleep? Again, Light was growing steadily more and more bewildered. It seemed peculiar. Too peculiar, perhaps.

"You're planning…on sleeping?"

"Yes, I did say that."

"Tonight?"

"Again, yes. Is there something wrong with that?" He forced more of the warm tea down his throat. "I was under the impression that sleep was necessary for good health."

"Says the one who avoids it like the plague."

L, now apparently finished with the tea for the time being, set down the cup and brought the plate of fruitcake back to his lap. He stared at it momentarily before actually acquiring a small piece onto his fork, but he hadn't yet brought it to his mouth.

"I take naps."

"When is that, exactly? I've never seen it."

"Typically when you are sleeping." L examined the piece of fruitcake at a variety of angles, apparently trying to determine whether or not it was edible as Light claimed. "Though sometimes when you are conscious. During those instances I keep my eyes open. They're 'micro-naps' if you will. Naps are short enough that I may get some rest while still keeping my subconscious from wandering."

It was absolutely maddening. Light had begun to focus less and less on what L was actually saying, and more on the slice of fruitcake he insisted on poking, probing, and studying. He'd done everything possible with that dessert except the process of eating it. L, it seemed, was indeed worse than a child when it came to eating habits. One way or another L was going to have to consume some of the dessert, though. While it was necessary due to the rules L himself had put in place, Light couldn't help but to have a hunger for revenge. After all those times of fried horrors and overly-sweet confections… His stomach churned at the mere memory.

How this act could be achieved, Light was still trying to figure out. It would be impossible to take hold of L's own plate and fork. The detective would easily react in time to block any attempts of being force-fed. Light's own fruitcake, however… He may have eaten half already, but there was plenty left to get an appropriately-timed bite shoved into L's mouth. Light would simply have to wait for the perfect opportunity. Now, to come up with a conversation topic…

It would need to be something to occupy L's attention enough, something he was deeply interested in. It didn't take long for Light's sharp mind to find a solution.

"L, could you possibly put in order your top five favorite fruits, and how they are best served?"

L's grip slackened ever so slightly on his fork. "For what reason?"

"None, really. If we _are_ having a tea party, which this most certainly looks like, you have to keep up conversation. Primarily, the conversation is trivial in nature." Not wanting to give away any sign of his plans, Light took another small bite of his fruitcake. There was still plenty left.

"I see…. I'm not familiar with the practice. I apologize." The plate was set down to the side. L brought a thumb to his lips, clearly having to think thoroughly on the matter.

Just as planned.

Light calmly took another sip of the lavender tea, feeling it run down to his stomach and warm him from the inside. He had to admit, he was starting to feel drowsy. But, he had to remain alert enough to act when the time came.

"Well, first and foremost I love strawberries…. They are perhaps the sweetest, easy to find fruit there is. I like them best in strawberry cake or strawberry shortcake." He paused, still gazing at some far-off object. "Then, there are cherries. The pit is bothersome, which puts them in that position. Cherry cheesecake is quite delectable. Third, I would say are red gra–"

It was too late for L. As he had began pondering what desserts that were delicious could possibly contain grapes – it took only a brief moment to think of raisins and raisin pie – Light had already made his move. While his mouth had been open, the younger man had taken a small piece of his fruitcake and forced it in. And this hadn't been done by means of a fork. Heaven forbid that Light Yagami chose to use proper eating utensils to accomplish the task. He chose instead to use his fingers. Needless to say, there was fruitcake that managed to get in L's mouth…but also all around his mouth and between Light's fingers.

Still partially stunned, L could do little but chew the unexpected food now in his mouth. Light busied himself with cleaning off his hands with a napkin, having a most "grossed-out" expression on his features. L would have noted it as comical had he not been focusing on the taste of the fruitcake. There was a distinct amount of cinnamon, some lemon peel…and all sorts of nuts and fruit. It wasn't bad, not necessarily…. The detective continued to chew the foreign substance thoughtfully. He was in a terrible middle ground, not sure if he should be disgusted or relatively pleased.

Once having finally swallowed the thing, he stared at Light most accusingly. He, however, was unaffected.

"You tricked me."

Light hid a smug smile behind his teacup as he began to drink from it again. "And I succeeded. Consider yourself freed from having to deliberate over your slice of fruitcake for hours upon hours."

"I wouldn't have taken nearly that long, I'll have you know."

"Sure."

* * *

Only the two small bedside lamp lights illuminated the bedroom. The two stuffed animals retired from the tea party and were set down in an armchair together. The teacups and plate of fruitcake on a cart were pushed to a wall, plenty of the tea and dessert still remaining. L drew his legs to his chest while sitting atop the bed. Some distance away Light changed into a set of pajamas. The detective's toes moved along the fabric of the sheets ever so slightly. He'd never really taken into account how smooth and soft they really were. Each time he'd succumbed to sleep in the bed it had been so unexpectedly that such details were impossible to notice. It was no wonder that Light looked forward to sleep so much every night, with how comfortable it was.

Soon enough, the younger man had made his way to his side of the bed. The chain's rattling became muffled upon making contact with the bed sheets. His weight settled onto the bed, making it shift downward just slightly.

While Light busied himself with pulling the sheets over his body, L still sat hunched-over. He wasn't positively sure how he would go about lying in the bed. Most of the times that he'd found time to sleep, it had been sitting in a chair. Light apparently seemed comfortable to lie on his back, but the position looked dreadfully uncomfortable to the detective. Lying flat was out of the question. Therefore, he'd not be on his stomach, either. Though, perhaps on his side….

A solution in mind, two of L's fingers reached to switch off his lamplight. The relative brightness of Light's still remained. Peeling back the sheets, L awkwardly moved into more of a lying position. On his side he was almost as curled-up as someone could be, as if hiding inside himself. Then again, it was relatively the same as his sitting posture. The detective managed to pull the sheets up over his body up to the bridge of his nose. He was turned to face Light, only his large eyes peering out from under. The younger man looked at him a bit strangely for a moment before finally turning off his own lamp, putting the room in complete darkness. It was a strange thing, there always having been at least L's laptop running. L felt an unnatural, slight tinge of uneasiness enter his stomach. It was as if he were a child spending his first night without a nightlight. He mentally shook himself from the irrationality of it all.

With his visibility for the most part gone, L could only take note of the sounds around him. Namely, Light's movements and breathing. There was a subtle change in one of those things at once. Light's breathing pattern changed just slightly, as if he had noticed something of interest. L's gaze immediately traveled to the ceiling. Sure enough, there they were. A few hundred glow-in-the-dark stars had been stuck to the ceiling. With such an absence of light in the room, even L felt himself transfixed for a moment.

Light's voice, still awake but growing weary, spoke, "Why are those there?"

"The stars, I assume?" L found his own voice was muffled by the blankets. He still kept them there, though. They were very warm and comfortable, after all.

"What else? You can't see anything other than those things." A twinge of annoyance. "Why are they on the ceiling?"

"When I informed Watari of my plans to sleep tonight, he thought they would assist me in that goal. They are supposedly calming, as they would give me something to focus on other than my thoughts." L paused, contemplating continuing. "And…I thought they were 'cool.'"

A humored snort came from the younger man. "Cool, huh? I haven't had those things in my room since I was in elementary school."

"I still fail to see anything wrong with it, other than the fact that Light is ashamed to occasionally act like a child. How dull must your existence be."

Light shifted around slightly, perhaps drawing the blankets around him more. L felt a small smirk creep to his face at his small victory.

"Whatever, L," Light muttered. "Could you just start with that 'trying to sleep' thing?"

"No."

"No? What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I have something to ask of you."

An exasperated sigh left Light. "Fine. But, you have to agree to stop talking and let me sleep as soon as you're done. I don't want to be up until five playing twenty questions."

"Very well. Do you recall December the tenth? This is not my primary question."

"Uh, yeah. It was…something regarding souls of whales. Dead ones, specifically. What of that day?"

"You are correct. But, this is the question I wish to pose to you: do you merely think I was talking about the deaths of whales?"

A pause hung in the air. Light, L assumed, was taking the moment to formulate a proper response. Though he couldn't help but notice his eyelids becoming just a little bit heavy. Now wasn't the time for sleep, however. He regretting drinking any of that lavender tea.

"Knowing you, it was unlikely you weren't implying other things," Light finally said. He'd brushed off some of the weariness in his tone, but it still remained. He continued, "So, my answer is no. You were talking about more than the whales."

L chewed on his bottom lip gently. "As I thought you would."

"Is that all you wanted to ask?" Light couldn't hide the hopefulness in the statement. His mind was beginning to shut down for the night, and things would be slipping through the cracks as that did.

"I will answer your question with a question. What did you take out of it?"

"Well, you quickly made it clear that you were talking about Kira. The whales symbolized today's criminals, the people still symbolized society, but the whalers were Kira. In a nut shell, so to speak. But to elaborate on the subject, which I'm sure you're wanting…. The people in either scenario wanted to have killed whales or criminals." Light paused once more, but L made no comment of it. "I'm going to stick to present-tense. Otherwise, this is going to get confusing…."

L could hear him shift around some more. The young man seemed to need to move to organize his thoughts. L didn't move a muscle, still listening attentively. His eyes grew more and more accustomed to the dark, making out the outline of Light's face.

"Anyway, the people want the criminals or whales dead whether or not it may be right. Sacrificing their sense of morality and justice sounds like a fair trade-off for a peaceful utopia or food on the table. Therefore, the whalers and Kira are supported and they continue killing. What the people didn't count on is other countries opposing those individuals. While with the whales it's a simple matter of the continuity of different whale species, today…it's condoning murder. The line between right and wrong is beginning to blur in society. Crime has decreased astronomically, but at what cost? The outcome this time around, however, is more difficult to predict. It's not a matter of simply firing whalers. I want more than anything for these murders to end, but…."

L's voice, though still soft, rang out clearly in the quiet of the room. "I see. So you still insist that you are not Kira. I can't say I'm surprised. However, I have one last question regarding the matter."

Light's breathing had not changed very much at all. Either he was controlling himself to the highest degree, putting his anxiety on the backburner to avoid suspicion, or he was merely beginning to doze off. It was customary of Light to go to bed at exactly eleven o'clock every night, and now it was a good half-hour after that time. L waited only another short moment longer, feeling for the slightest movements or listening for the quietest of sounds. Evidence gained from it would be trivial, but…any evidence he would grab for gratefully.

L said, cutting into the silence once more, "What about the boat?"

An arm moved around under the sheets.

"You mean that little paper boat?" Light replied, voice getting heavier with weariness.

"Yes."

Light released a sigh. "The candle…wasn't just for the whales."

"Go on."

"I can't deduce anything else, though," the younger man admitted.

Either he was lying through his teeth, or just absurdly tired. L pulled his sheets tighter around himself. Sure enough, Light's first answer was spot-on. He expected as much. But…he had been hoping for more out of the conversation. With Light's guard down, he should have been more likely to let something slip, to vocalize one tiny incriminating detail. However, L wasn't so lucky as to get that kind of clue. It was a bit depressing. However, there was still one more thing.

"Your analytical abilities are usually better, Light," L said. His voice was still muffled by the sheets. "Normally, I would not spell it out for you. This, however, is something which you must hear. The boat was sent out for two groups, excluding the whales. The first being all those killed by Kira. Despite their crimes, I would not wish for anyone to be a part of a slaughter of that caliber. Even though Kira thinks his judgment to be without flaws, I'm certain innocents have slipped through the cracks as well. The second was Kira himself."

Light appeared to sound taken-aback. His acting skills were impressive, L had to admit. He nearly believed him. "Kira? Why would you send out a candle for Kira?"

"It's difficult to say…. Kira, whether he's aware of it or not, has subjected himself to intense mental degradation. Even though he has distanced himself from his kills, I'm certain it has poisoned his mind. He has probably killed those who he hadn't originally planned to kill, people who he knew personally. Perhaps he has not. In any case, taking human life is always detrimental to the killer. Often times they are not aware of this. I suspect this is true with Kira. What saddens me is that he is undoubtedly a very intelligent individual. I haven't faced a killer so difficult to catch in all of my prior cases. He's wasting his brilliance and turning himself into a monster for a foolish ideal. He's not going to be able to rid the world of criminals. It's simply impossible. I accepted this fact the day that I introduced myself as L. Sadly, Kira has not. I pity him."

"You…pity Kira? Kira, of all people? The criminal you swore to catch?" Light asked, incredulous. He barley clung to consciousness.

"I do. I wanted to send the candle to Kira because I pity him. That does sound about right. Nevertheless, even if I am to never catch him – the thought disturbs me, but I can't rule out the possibility – I wanted to show him the magnitude of what he has done, and will do. I wanted to illuminate all of his wrongs, to show him what he has done to himself in the hopes that he would try to save himself. He's running after an ideal that's unattainable, and he cannot run forever."

There was no reply from Light this time. He was certain the younger man had heard him, though. If Light was Kira would his words have fallen on deaf ears?

Feeling that no more would be said by Light, the detective said softly into the darkness of the room, "Good night, Light."

"Good night."

* * *

It was twelve-fifteen in the morning. Light had fallen asleep twenty minutes prior. He was, however, a very light-sleeper. L hadn't budged at the slightest since their goodnights, though now his eyes were half-lidded but as observant as ever. The younger man's chest rose and fell rhythmically, his breath distracting L from the static sound of silence.

A single thought had been greatly disturbing the detective. What were exactly his intentions in the Kira case? Almost at once, his brain came up with a very predictable response. He wanted to catch Kira and he wanted him to face charges for his crimes. It was likely after going through court Kira would serve a life sentence. More likely, he would face an execution date. As nice as it was to have extra help on the case, he made a resolve to himself that he would not restrain himself from putting any one of the police officers in prison if they proved to be Kira. Even the son or daughter of the chief of police. Kira killed so many people and he deserved to face justice.

Now, though, that outcome didn't settle so well with him. Kira was almost certainly Light Yagami. But, he had not enough to prove this to the world. If he did, would he act?

He wasn't so sure.

What were his feelings toward Light? He'd avoided that question for so long. It was as if he was afraid of the answer. Why did an answer like that frighten him more than the possibility of dying for the case? He'd accepted that easily enough. He had known how dangerous it was from the very beginning. He hadn't counted on getting close to his top suspect, however. L had always made it a point to never mix his own emotions with his work, so why now of all times? At first it was bad enough to consider the possibility of sending a friend to his execution, but now… What was it? What was the nature of things between him and Light?

The stars on the ceiling barely glowed at all anymore. They were faint things, like the stars just outside the window over Tokyo.

Light was just inches away. At foot, at the most. It was a foreign thing to have someone occupy that empty space on the other side of the bed. He could remember those endless nights sitting on hotel beds, typing away on his laptop, skimming through case files, researching news articles, and having no one there beside him. He never felt lonely. There hadn't ever been anyone there before, so why should he have? Now it was almost customary to have someone there through those nights. Those moments when his mind was fatigued and no sweets were on hand, instead of drowning in the maddening silence he would shift his gaze over to Light and listen to his even breaths. It was calming to see him so deep in sleep, to hear something so innately human. It was in those late nights and early mornings that L regretted more and more his future plans.

What would it be like to no longer have Light to lie in the bed beside him, even if he was still up all night working? Would it be as it always had been, not caring one way or another if it was cold and empty there? That the silence couldn't put him at ease and make his head stop pounding? Light would wake as a grumbling bear or a disoriented zombie and make snide remarks. Would he really miss something as small as that? Light kept him entertained, kept his mind active. Undoubtedly, dullness would ensue. He would work in monotony as he always had. But would it be painful?

The month was quickly coming to a close. It would all end soon. He could feel it distinctly. None of it was going to last for much longer. In one form or another, they would be parting ways. It was so certain that he may as well have heard bells sounding from some far-off place. The sort of bells you would hear for a wedding, or in this case perhaps a funeral. Now, though, all he could hear was Light's gentle breathing in the quiet of the bedroom. There were no bells chiming.

He had talked of things with Light he had shared with no one else. Some things not even Watari, though he was certain the man knew anyway. He never dwelled on thoughts of his family. It had been so many years ago, anyway. Even though he had told it to Light so plainly, not feeling the gravity of his own words, Light's had stopped him dead in his tracks. He knew well that he was alone. He didn't bother to obtain any friends or anything past that. They weren't necessary for what he did. He could live without socializing with others or having little friendships here and there. But Light's proclamation, that he pushed others away…. Was he pushing Light away, a person who had said he offered friendship? Was he merely afraid of making and keeping that bond, and letting it strengthen? After all, all bonds could be severed. He knew that for a fact. No amount of love in the world had allowed him to keep his mother, and nothing could keep Light where he was. It was hopeless to wish for anything more than the next few quiet nights and days spent with Light. He cared for the man, despite how dangerous the notion was, but how much?

They had kissed. Multiple times, in fact. He didn't think much about the first mistletoe incident in the living room. He had merely given him a peck on the cheek. It was a customary practice for when two people got caught under a bundle of the holiday plant. Then on the evening just before Christmas, when they drank eggnog and watched a Christmas movie, things had changed ever so slightly. Light had been drunk, that was certain. He couldn't have been held accountable for his actions in such a state. And yet he had kissed him directly on the lips for a fleeting moment. Rather than repulsion or indifference, he immediately felt shock. Light continued to cuddle against him until succumbing to unconsciousness, but in the far reaches of his mind L had pondered what it feel like if he placed a quick kiss on the man's lips. Would he enjoy it? Would he feel nothing at all? His curiosity drove him insane with possibilities, but the first frightened him the most. He would not, could not, enjoy kissing Light. It troubled him enough to forever be haunted by the fact that his first kiss was perhaps shared with someone who had killed countless, someone who he would turn in to the authorities only to be killed or rot away. How deeply would Light's death affect him?

Then there was Christmas. They had gone up to Light's room, the younger man intent on fixing his closet and his bookcase. And, lo and behold, there was an incomprehensible amount of mistletoe on the ceiling. There was not a single spot two people who stand at where they would not be subject to the rules of the plant. L could have easily ignored it and never said a word to Light. He was too distracted with his organization. But what if Light had felt something for him? If, by gaining his trust in that way, by making him feel safer around him, could he coax out more clues? Or, better yet, a confession? Would Light fall victim to his own emotions? L hadn't exactly planned on such a thing to plague him. He didn't expect the sensation of truly kissing Light to feel as good as it did. It shouldn't have felt right, as if it were something he'd give up his lonely nights for to experience each and every day. And yet he had been so bold as to use mistletoe slyly handed over by Sayu as they exited the home while in the limousine. He told himself over and over again that it was merely for the case, to confuse Light and have him feel a greater sense on ease. How much of it had really been for the case?

He would set his next plan into motion. Very, very carefully he would shift around "in his sleep." Each time it would be closer and closer to the person lying beside him. The movements wouldn't be enough to wake Light. But, when he got close enough to snuggle against him as if clutching to something while unconscious, the man would most certainly awake. L would be paying close attention to two things at that moment. One: Light's reaction to the situation. This would be a true judge of character and his actual feelings. He would have no reason to display falsities if he thought the person against him was merely asleep. There would be no one he'd have to fool. Two: his own reaction. How would it feel to hold someone and fall asleep, if he did manage such a feat? Would he be able to sort through his confusing feelings, memories from the past few days, and make sense of it all? Would his answer finally appear to him in some moment of realization? He hungered for an answer.

He kept his breathing slow and rhythmic, not unlike Light's. An arm would slide gently toward the other body, then perhaps a leg a few minutes later. He rotated his torso ever so slightly, nuzzling his head against the pillow as a sleeping person would. Light still did not stir. It took well over ten minutes before L found he was sufficiently close enough to Light. Then, he buried his head against the younger man's side and moved a hand to his stomach. Both moved were languid, but they immediately woke Light.

Not a word came from his lips, but his breathing quickened ever so slightly. He was thinking. L briefly wondered if he'd be pushed off back over to the other side. However, none of his predictions could have prepared him for what really did occur. After several long minutes, Light carefully shifted his own position in the bed. Rather than lying on his back, he moved onto his side. A warm arm made its way to rest on L's back, drawing him to his chest. It took every bit of control he had to maintain his appearance of sleep and keep his heartbeat from giving him away. His mind, however, was a mess. Not only had Light tolerated his move to sleep against him, but he had wanted more. He wanted to hold him as he slept. He didn't want to be alone, either.

L knew very well that his head, specifically his scalp, was the one of the most sensitive regions on his body. He could feel a single strand of hair being touched if someone walked past too closely. If someone were to stroke his head, the extreme tenderness of the area being touched in such a way would result in pure contentment. That was why he was without a doubt positive that he felt a pair of lips briefly press themselves to the top of his head and then draw away.

He drank in the warmth of Light's body, listened to the slow beating of his heart and the breathing above his head. It smelled like the tea he had drank not all that long ago, having hints of lavender. Nothing outside of the room mattered at that moment. All he wanted was to stay awake and hear those sounds and feel an arm hold him securely. He could not have been happier, and his notions of fear were put on hold. He could have been content to remain as he was indefinitely. His later self would hate him for it, curse him endlessly, but…perhaps he did feel something for Light.

Even though he tried his best to stay awake L would fall asleep minutes later. He did not experience a single nightmare through the night.

* * *

Misa was alone in her own bed, but no longer in the task force building. The only people there this month were Ryuuzaki and Light. Or rather,_ L_ and Light. She hadn't seen her boyfriend for almost an entire month, and that pervert spent every waking moment with him. It was frustrating to the highest degree for the young model. Instead of sleeping, she lied atop her sheets and stared at the ceiling above her.

She sent out the tape, just as Light had instructed, on the sixteenth of December. He said sending it to Sakura TV as soon as the month started would be too suspicious, and to make sure none of her fingerprints or strands of hair got on anything at all. So, she had another person entirely complete the task. Misa had been entrusted with Light's Death Note, after all. It was simple. She went out one day and recorded the name of a woman she saw on the street, but made sure to add in some finer details of her actions before death. Light had mentioned one day of all the things you could make a person do before dying. An unsuspecting woman created the most recent Kira tape and delivered it to Sakura TV. It would never be able to be traced back to her. Even Rem agreed that her strategy was flawless. Misa could hardly wait to tell Light how she'd done it. He'd be pleased with her, she just knew it.

She turned her head, looking around for her Shinigami. Sure enough, Rem was not far off. Her yellow eyes gazed at Misa in the dimness of the room. Misa's computer was still on, sitting on her desk, as was a lamp. She had no intentions of falling asleep just yet.

"Hey, Rem?" she said suddenly.

The Shinigami, as if disturbed from her thoughts, delayed just slightly in her response. "Yes, Misa?"

"Do you think I'd get to see Light on New Year's Day? L said, after all, that that day would be the end of his weird observations of Light. And, it would be the end of December… Oh, I miss him so much!" She pulled a stuffed bunny close to her chest, pouting.

"I believe you could be reunited with Light Yagami on the first of the coming year."

Misa sighed. "Good. But, I wonder…if I could get a glimpse of that guy. L, I mean. If it weren't for him, Light and I wouldn't be apart and Light wouldn't have to go through all he has to keep us safe."

"Are you wanting to write the detective's name down in the notebook?" Rem ventured, curious.

"Yeah, I do." Misa stretched slightly and sat up. "Light had asked me in that note he left with the Death Note to write his name down, but…I totally forgot it. I didn't know it was important when I saw the guy! He went by a name other than what it said over his head, but people do that sometimes. It's not really all that weird. So, I have to do that for Light. Besides…."

Rem blinked, still staring at the woman.

"It'll be the best New Year's present ever! I can't wait for Light's reaction." She pressed the stuffed bunny to her chest again, her mind occupied only with thoughts of Light. Nothing would ever get between them again, not even that pesky detective.


	28. Chocolate

And I return! I got so wrapped up in getting this done... I looked at my clock once I was finally finished and it was around three in the morning. And I asked myself...how am I not sleepy?

Anyway, the 200th reviewer will still be getting something special. We're also approaching 100,000 words for the fic (sweet baby Jesus!). This is the longest project I've undertaken and it's been incredibly fun. I've decided that after this chapter there will be five more chapters, one for each of the remaining days of December and January first, along with an epilogue of some sort. Moreover, in the epilogue I plan on shedding some light on the little goodies I've scattered here and there in the fic. You know, such as some sneakily-placed foreshadowing and symbolism. I hope to evoke "ohhhh"s of realization. It will be fun.

Also, we're making some more Shakespeare allusions this time around. A few lines of Sonnet 73 will be mentioned, and the full poem will be posted at the end of this chapter if you desire to analyze it further. It's just too perfect for this. I would hug it if I could.

Finally, I made a lovely little ficmix for this story, inspired by the lovely author halfpromise. She does this for her amazing DN fic as well. In mine you'll find the songs I've mentioned from chapter to chapter, along with other songs that have inspired prompts and fueled my writing. I think it's rather spiffy. You can view it here (replace the parenthesis stuff with dots, of course): www(DOT)8tracks(DOT)com/madamejelly/happy-holidays-december.

Or you can go to the link on my fanfiction author profile page for the link. I don't suggest listening past the Journey song, though. Anything after Journey is a spoiler. But if you happen to be one of those people who go on anyway, keep it a secret from the others, pretty please. :)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I loved each one to pieces.

Minor update: I noticed some formatting things (Light's thoughts) that I forgot to fix. Also, I had promised to my friend (who authors here as well) Abbey Mae to give her a shout-out, as December 28 is also her birthday. A (belated) happy birthday to anyone else with a December birthday!

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 28**  
Chocolate Day**

**

* * *

**

If there was anything that Sayu was particularly knowledgeable on, it was chocolate. She couldn't recall a day when she hadn't had any at all. There was always a stray box of chocolate cereal, perhaps some powdered chocolate milk mix, left-over chocolates from whatever holiday was last, chocolate ice cream in the fridge…. Even if she couldn't satisfy her need at home, there were always vending machines just down the street. She could remember those cold, numbing February days just before Valentine's Day. By that time all of the Christmas chocolate was long gone, and she'd have to trudge through snow and ice to those vending machines. It seemed like it took miles on those days, but she would not be deterred. Chocolate was a necessary and irreplaceable part of her life.

So naturally, she knew of every single holiday that had anything to do with chocolate. There were the ever-obvious ones: Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. But, there were other holidays, less known and hardly celebrated that were centered around that delicious food of the gods. There were eight total holidays in the year that were devoted to chocolate foods and most importantly…Chocolate Day occurred twice each year. Not just once. Twice.

Perhaps the most important detail was that one of those days happened to be today.

Almost every year she'd just celebrate by scouring the house high and low and hoarding each and every bit of chocolate she could find, even her mother's chocolate chips for baking. The first couple years she'd always get in trouble for it, but Sachiko had quickly learned that there was simply no stopping the girl. It would just be best to conserve her energy by buying more of the stuff the following day when Sayu was in her chocolate-induced coma.

This time, however, was going to be different. She still had business to attend to.

And she would execute her final, most decisive strike.

Victory would be assured.

So that December morning, the teenage girl woke up at precisely half-past five in the morning. Her parents would be asleep still, but she still had to act quickly. Silently and furtively she hopped out of bed, clad in pajamas and fuzzy slippers. She went to one of her bottom drawers and pulled it open fully. There, on the left, was her emergency chocolate supply: a heart-shaped box of Godiva. She'd only go into it for what the name implied or the two Chocolate Days of the year. Sayu had planned on eating it all throughout the course of the day, but…things had changed. She had to make a sacrifice this time around.

_Well…just think, it won't be that long until Valentine's Day…_ Her fingers still rested on the handle of the drawer, staring solemnly at the chocolate that would leave and not make its way to her tummy. _You'll be breaking out those snow boots in a while, there's no doubt about it…. I'm going to miss that naked lady on the horse. _

Before she got a chance to change her mind or feel her will to resist dissolve completely, Sayu stuffed the chocolates in a very nondescript, brown box along with a special note written on scented pink paper. It was swiftly sealed with clear packing tape. Now, if her father was as consistent as he'd always been, she could find him currently making a pot of coffee for the day. It was time to move on to phase two.

Box under her arm, Sayu padded out to the kitchen. She rubbed an eye tiredly. It didn't take long to fully feel the effects of waking up early for the first time since…probably the last day she'd been in school. Now _that _was ages ago.

Sure enough, there her father was standing near the coffee pot. He brought a cup to his lips, not quite noticing her yet. She took this opportunity to get close.

She didn't predict that he'd burn his mouth on the coffee when he found a large pair of eyes staring directly at him from maybe a foot away, at most.

He set the cup down and still tried to get over the initial pain.

"I'm so sorry, dad!" Sayu suddenly said, backing up a bit. The box was still firmly in her grip.

"It's…fine, Sayu. Just don't startle me like that again, all right?" He took a class from the cabinet to get cold water from the sink. "But, I have to ask…. Why is it you're up so early during winter break? You usually wake up at the crack of noon."

"Hey! I so do not!"

"Shhh. Your mother is still asleep."

"Oh, right…" she said, in a more subdued tone. "Anyway, I needed to tell you something. Otherwise, I kinda would still be in bed, eheh…"

Soichiro swallowed some of the blessed cool water. He eyed her through his glasses with curiosity, waiting for her to continue.

"Okay, here's the thing. Light emailed me last night and told me that he left something important in his room. He said he needed it for some project or something. I guess he meant it's for school? It was just this random brown box sitting in the corner. I have no idea what it could be, and there's no way I can even peek. It'd be a no-brainer for him to figure out if anyone tried to sneak a look, because of that tape on a cardboard box… But, the point is, he needs it this morning. Like, _now_, I think. Soooo…."

He sighed. "So you want me to take it to him?"

"Yeah! Is that okay? I mean, I'm not old enough to drive or anything and I have no idea where he –"

"It's fine, Sayu. I understand. I'll be sure that this gets to him this morning. I'll leave in ten minutes or so, okay? Go back to bed."

Sayu was not one who had to be told twice.

* * *

When Light first started to enter the currently-hazy world of consciousness that morning, he could feel a distinct warmth. Something in the recesses of his mind told him that this was an abnormality, but he couldn't quite place why yet. He didn't mind the warmth at all, actually. In fact, it was incredibly nice and it encouraged him to just go back to sleep. Now _that_ would be easy to do. He was never a one for sleeping in, but now it was almost too tempting.

Finally, his brain supplied him with an answer: it was perpetually just slightly chilly in the task force building, even in the winter. Perhaps L wasn't one for warm weather. It was never above sixty-nine degrees Fahrenheit. Not once. Light would walk past the thermostat and see a sixty-two or a sixty mocking him. If he fiddled with it just slightly when L wasn't paying attention, within minutes the super-sleuth would've already figured it out. It was if the man was a walking thermostat, detecting slight changes in the air's temperature. So Light would have to settle for a jacket and L would still go around barefoot. Though, he did learn that L had his limits with the cold first-hand.

So, why was he all of a sudden so blissfully snug and warm?

Even though he very much did _not_ care to open his eyes and return to the land of the living, Light started to open his bleary eyes. He couldn't see all that much in particular, at least not yet. There appeared to be an empty portion of the bed where L usually sat, or rather, crouched. While Light contemplated where the detective could've gone off to, he came to a sudden realization: he could hear someone else breathing very, very close to him. Not only that, but he then registered that that warm feeling he'd been reveling in came from one source in particular. The source being a lithe body curled up against his chest which he happened to be holding onto securely.

To confirm his deduction from some overwhelming clues, he peered down ever so slightly. Sure enough, he was met with a mess of wild, black hair. He could feel L's nose and forehead pressed against the area directly under his collar bone. His breaths were slow and rhythmic. L was still fast asleep.

_Well, isn't this déjà vu…._

They weren't like this upon initially going to bed. That was for certain. L had to have tossed in his sleep enough or felt compelled to find more heat in his sleep for it to have happened. Light may or may not have been roused by that kind of movement, but he certainly welcomed the added heat. The detective snuggled against him with his eternal state of a bed-head was proof enough. The last time he'd tried to get out of this kind of a situation, it had ended up with a not so fun time on the floor. Light wasn't too keen on repeating that experience. So, with the option of escape out of the question, he could only wait it out. Surely L wouldn't be out for that much longer…?

The top of L's head was just close enough that it touched Light's chin. Curious, he moved his head ever so slightly over the detective's wispy locks. He nearly shivered at the sensation; L's hair was unbelievably soft. Whether or not it was a jumble of knots and snags, he couldn't tell, but it was softer perhaps than a rabbit. He could barely remember how it had felt that day they stood together in the kitchen. L for that moment hadn't been hiding behind his letter. He hated to admit it, but even then it didn't feel so bad to hold the detective against him. He felt human and fragile, as well as distinctly lonely. He clutched to Light as if it was his first and last opportunity at feeling that sort of closeness, feeling that kind of security. How would have been to live a life with little to no contact at all with other people? Not experiencing a simple touch, such a holding someone's hand?

In formal dancing lessons that L had mentioned in passing, such touches were empty gestures. He'd undoubtedly felt uncomfortable during the entire experience, Light mused. L never attempted or appeared to enjoy touching others. That is, until very recently. Why was that? Why did L not try to wriggle away from him, or choose to ignore the mistletoe? It would have been easy enough.

And yet L had stayed. He had even _initiated_ those kisses. When Light had doubts and anxiety toward the act, L had not wavered at the slightest. Not only that, but Light had enjoyed those times. He remembered old dates. He could hold a girl's hand and perhaps even give her a kiss, but only because it was expected of him. He had tried to feel perhaps something, anything at all. But like a dancing lesson, they were only empty and easily forgotten. But now, simple brushes of skin or a hug…held something deeper.

That almost frightened him. Why L, of all people? Why couldn't it have been anyone else? Like Takada, perhaps. She was smart enough and fairly pretty. Still, it had been forced. Walks with not too eventful conversation, lunch dates that hardly stuck in his memory…. And now every kiss from L still burned against his skin, moments still played in his mind perfectly as if they were a movie. How had it gotten to this? Why was the person he was determined to kill the first to ever feel real?

Light still had to kill L. If L had even the slightest clue that proved he was Kira, no amount of kisses in the world could possibly save him. The game would be over. Just as he was supposed to achieve his new world, L was supposed to make criminals face justice. Nothing could change that. He had four days left chained to the detective. This was perhaps the last chance he had to see him sleep, however. It strangely bothered him. Only three more mornings of waking up to see a mess of black hair and owlish eyes staring at him. Light released a shallow sigh, causing some of those strands of hair below him to blow around just slightly. He hadn't planned on anything like this….

And then that breathing pattern that had been so consistent below him subtly quickened its tempo. Light still didn't dare to move. It was a fragile moment that would all too soon be broken. What time he had left he'd enjoy but…when that time ran out, he would act. Kira would not hesitate. Wouldn't L do the same, after all? Surely he was still playing at this game. Perhaps that was all it was. His stomach clenched just slightly.

L still did not make a sound. It had been just a few minutes. Perhaps he still was trying to take in his surroundings, making sense of the situation? He likely didn't remember anything from the night before, either. A heavy sigh came from the detective's body. It startled Light a bit and he peered down curiously. L's face was still pressed against him, hands still clutching the fabric of his shirt. But, he heard a voice speak so lowly and so quietly that he could scarcely make out the words had it not been so silent in the bedroom.

"_'That time of year thou mayst in me behold when yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang upon those boughs which shake against the cold….'_" L paused, then released another sigh. He did not continue whatever it was that he was saying. Could he have just been dreaming, and for that reason speaking in his sleep?

"L…?" Light said hesitantly.

"Good morning, Light," the detective swiftly replied. He still did not loosen his grip.

Light moved his head to peer down a little. "Uh, good morning. I thought you were still asleep." _And why are you still clinging to me?_

"If I am able to give proper verbal responses, I assure you that I am awake, Light," L said, though sleepiness till clung to his voice, which also was muffled against his chest. "Hmmm…you're quite comfortable."

Was this what happened when L got a full night's sleep? Still thoroughly uneasy, Light said, "Thanks…?"

"You're quite welcome." Finally he raised his head and met the younger man's gaze. His eyes were still half-lidded, instead of wide and calculating as they normally were.

Their faces were only inches away. L's body was so relaxed and warm, and despite the drowsiness in his eyes, Light felt as though he could see perhaps –

A knock sounded at the bedroom door, both bodies stiffening at the sudden sound. L immediately drew away from the startled teen and slipped off the bed, padding towards the door.

Light was alarmed at how cold he felt.

But, of course, the chain had its limits. Half-way to his destination, L was forced to stop. He looked back at Light expectantly. It took the other a moment to gather his wits and roll off the bed himself. As he started to make his way toward the door, L had gained enough chain length to get there himself. His pale hand took hold of the knob and pulled the door open fully. There stood with a flat brown box in hand Watari. Perhaps he noticed L's still-sleepy eyes, perhaps he didn't.

L was given the box and he eyed it strangely.

Watari said, "Yagami-san brought it a while ago this morning. It has gone through screening, of course, and seems to be harmless. It is addressed to Light."

"I see. Thank you very much," L responded, still focused on the box in his hands. The older gentleman left at this while L closed the door with a hand.

Light advanced toward the detective to get a better look at the thing. His father wouldn't have taken a box from just any stranger and brought it to the task force building, that was for certain. But, who could have had a reason to give him anything? He tried to analyze the handwriting to perhaps see if it matched anyone's he knew. It was hopeless, though. The handwriting was very nondescript, almost as if –

"Whoever sent this purposely wrote your name in such a way that their handwriting couldn't be recognized. Very uniform, I must say." L lifted the box over his head to examine the bottom and not disturb the contents. "Now, who sent it and who could it be from? If your father brought it, I would assume it's from a family member or close friend. Tell me, Light, would there be any friends who'd want to send you something? Though it's curious that they wouldn't want you to know who they were…."

Light shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I'd assume it's from home."

L held out the box to him. "In that case, I believe you should open it. Clues will follow, I'm certain. Perhaps your mother wanted you to have some more clean underwear?"

Light rolled his eyes and took the box from him. He went back to the bed and sat down on the edge, going to work at peeling some of the packing tape off. L stood across from him and watched the process with interest, as if he'd get some of whatever was inside. The detective probably clung to the small hope that perhaps Light's mother had sent some baked goods. Once he finally did get the thing open he eyed the contents with a blank stare, as if there was a dead frog in the box.

There sat a heart-shaped box of Godiva chocolate with a pink note taped to the front. It read:

_To: Ryuuzaki_

_From: Light_

And there was also doodled on the paper a profusion of little hearts. A profusion! It was in what appeared to be _his_ handwriting, no less. Before he even managed to get a word in about the whole thing, L had already snatched the chocolates up and separated the note from the Godiva box. He even…sniffed the paper? However, the paper was quickly forgotten as he opened up the box and peered in at the perfectly packaged little chocolates.

Who other than his father at home could've known about Chocolate Day? Suddenly, all the pieces fit together. Pink paper. Chocolate Day. His house. It was none other than his sister. This would've been one of the days she turned the kitchen upside-down in her search for chocolate while Light avoided it all by holing himself up in his room. It just wasn't worth it to dare step out. Undoubtedly she'd snuck into his room and gotten a sample of some of his handwriting, then made up some excuse for their father to bring in the chocolates and the false note. However, with the situation he was in, perhaps it was best to just go along with things…. Even if L came to a similar deduction, Light was fairly sure he cared more about eating sweets than solving a case as petty as this.

"It was incredibly kind of you to purchase chocolates for me for Chocolate Day, Light." He looked inside the lid of the heart box. "A shame, there's no guide…. Oh well. In any case, I'm very fond of Godiva. You have very good taste. The pun was intended, by the way."

Light still couldn't quite decide how to proceed as L chose to sit on the other side of the bed and start to go to work at the chocolates. He took one out delicately between two fingers and popped it into his mouth. Lightly briefly noticed the detective's toes curl, seeming to be enjoying the candy immensely. Just as he was about to take another from the many that were still in the box, his fingers paused in mid-air. L's eyes flashed back to Light.

"Would you care for one? They're very good." L held out the opened box of chocolates.

"Well…"

"But I insist. I would feel bad eating all of this in front of you. Now, please take one."

L then set the box down between them and while Light eyed the variety of little chocolates he plucked another from the box. While L began to chew on his second, Light went ahead and pulled a rather nondescript one and popped it into his mouth. It did turn out to taste fairly pleasant. It wasn't overly sweet, though it had a smooth texture and rich flavor. Perhaps there was a sort of chocolate mousse inside? Hardly a moment later he heard a mild sort of revulsion come from L. He paused eating his own chocolate to see what was the matter.

L swallowed the thing with a shudder. He said in his usual detached air, "Coconut. I despise coconut. And that isn't the worst of it, you see. There are two pieces for each kind of chocolate. They all look similar, but there are subtle differences with each variety. The first I had was a chocolate mousse and_ you_ ate the second chocolate mousse while _I_ had to eat a revolting coconut piece. It's hardly fair."

A devious grin found its way onto Light's face. L was most clearly not pleased, but that did not mean anything to him. Rather than apologizing, Light resumed chewing his chocolate a bit…then promptly stuck out his tongue at the detective and showed off the remnants of the beloved chocolate mousse piece. He fully expected L to become even more annoyed, which would perhaps result in a slap/punch. Or, he'd turn his back and gorge himself on the rest of the box and ignore him for however long until it was empty. So Light continued to chomp away at the candy, rather pleased with himself and expecting some kind of reaction from the stunned detective at any moment.

And a reaction he did receive.

* * *

L was never very pleased when a box of chocolates didn't come with a guide for what was inside. So then he would have to try his luck and sample each kind. He'd be delighted when he came across those pieces with caramel inside, or perhaps molasses and cherry ones. And they typically always did come in pairs, if not more, so he then knew which ones to go back to. Chocolate boxes always were a fun sort of game. However, it was not a game if there wasn't a possibility of losing. If there was one sort of chocolate he particularly didn't like, it was coconut. He couldn't place why exactly he hated the flavor…perhaps it was its texture? In any case, L couldn't stand coconut in anything. Even candies, it seemed, had their risks.

There sat between them a heart-shaped box of chocolates. Light had given it as a gift to him for Chocolate Day. How odd, this child's game of picking through the nasty and delicious candies was so much like his current situation. What if he placed more trust in Light and lowered his guard? What would the end of the month hold, the new year hold? Would he come across that caramel candy, or that toffee piece, and find himself happy? Would Light stay on that other side of the bed and not be holding a knife to his back? Or, would he find himself faced with coconut? Light could simply want him dead. Every fiber of his body screamed that only Light could be Kira, no one else fit the profile so _perfectly_…. But his contents, what the younger man truly had on his agenda, remained a mystery to L. He hid behind that simple chocolate exterior. L would have to gamble as he did with those chocolates. He could either find himself happier than he had ever been before or…one of them could very well die. If he wanted that chance of finding chocolate mousse, he would have to play the game.

These thoughts whizzed through his mind as he observed the childish display from Light, who had shown him a chewed-up piece of chocolate. He shot L a triumphant look, just daring him to do something about it. However, L most certainly did.

In one fluid motion the detective made his way over to Light and brought his lips to the other man's. The chocolates still in the box fell and scattered to the ground, overturned. Neither seemed to care at the slightest. Light could barely comprehend what was even happening at first. One of L's hands had made its way behind his head and pulled him close to allow better access to the mouth he was doing nothing short of ravaging. The other had traveled some other place, perhaps his back. It was as if the detective was trying to find and collect every remnant of the chocolate that was still in Light's mouth. He felt himself fall back onto the soft bed, but L was not deterred from his mission. Light felt a moan rise up in his throat.

Caught still in the haze of the kiss, he made some weak attempts against the tongue that had so suddenly assaulted his mouth. L would only meet the challenge, still searching every last inch for the chocolate he had been robbed of. He could feel those long strands of hair hanging down and tickling the skin of his face, unable to think of anything at all besides L's taste mixed with the sweet chocolate they had eaten. He didn't ponder once why during it all he never felt the need to resist. Even after L should've had his mouth completely cleaned, he did not draw away. Any concept of time that Light had was long gone. It had been perhaps an eternity that they could've been kissing atop the bed. He couldn't tell.

Though at one point or another he felt L pull away, both with left with ragged breath and still-closed eyes. L rested his warm forehead against Light's. He held himself up over the younger man with weary arms. The detective barely resisted as he felt a pair of arms snake across his back and pull him down, causing him to lie flush against Light. While their foreheads no longer touched, Light could feel L's chin sitting on his chest. Still trying to grasp at any sorts of logic and reasoning that had so easily left him, Light opened his eyes ever so slightly to look down at the man who for the third time now had kissed him senseless.

Sure enough, two enormous black eyes dazedly looked back at him. In those eyes he saw something he hadn't ever quite seen before, something that perhaps only came in brief flashes that he'd barely even notice. It was as though in L's eyes there was a distinct look of affection. Light could feel his stomach flip at the realization. Before he had the chance to begin to sort through his mental dilemma, L tilted his head and placed a pair of kisses along his neck. It was perhaps even more intimate than the kiss had been, despite how simple it was in nature. Light was at a loss of what to do, much less what to say. He was almost frightened to break the fragility of the silence, as if it would all end and they'd be forced to face reality once more.

L's head was to return to Light's chest. His cheek rested against him and he did not say a word, only releasing soft sighs as he felt Light's fingers travel along his back. They remained like that for what could've been hours before he heard L's low voice reach his ears.

"You're probably curious as to why I kissed you, I'm assuming." He paused, and then languidly resumed, "One, I did want my chocolate back. Two…I merely wanted to. That's all."

Somehow, Light had found his voice though it was by no means as strong as he'd hoped. "That's all?"

"Mhm."

Peering through his eyelashes at the face buried in black locks before him, he asked again, "Why did you want to?"

Another heavy silence hung in the air. L took his sweet time before responding, leaving Light to stare at that face hidden in a mess of hair. His hands on his back had slowed considerably.

"'_Reply hazy. Try again.'_"

Light fought the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn't quite capable of being all that annoyed, at the present moment. If it had been L's plan to make him totally docile, it certainly had worked.

"L, you're not a Magic 8 Ball."

"Very well. In other words, ask me again later. My brain is comparable to pudding."

* * *

The rest of the morning through the evening proceeded in a similar fashion. It was as if an unspoken realization had made them not question the ceaseless kisses and caresses. They drank it in greedily, knowing it was the poison that would only assure the fast-approaching end to it all.

Nothing was questioned as L felt a pair of lips travel across his neck as he started the coffee machine or when they sat in the living room with the television spouting senseless programs and Light drew him against his own body. It reminded L of their actual first kiss that Christmas Eve, but he remained silent.

If he spoke of the past or the future, their illusion would be shattered.

No kiss thereafter was the same as the first they had shared that morning. They were all soft, chaste kisses, each as heavenly as they were painful. When the day would end and they would fall asleep once more, the two would cling to each other desperately knowing that it was not permanent. They would awake and find themselves in their respective roles as Kira and L. The dream they drifted through would end. The nightmare of reality would serve only to pull them apart and remind them of their duties and the futility of their hope.

* * *

Watari sat in the private observation room, the wall lined with television sets and a few computer screens along the bottom. His tea had been cold for some time and he took one last drink before completely draining it. He'd busied himself with the usual, which entailed helping L sift through countless emails or placing orders for meals for the following day. His only company was the hum of the various computers and the faint static of television sets. It was a customary nightly ritual, however. L would occupy himself by poring over clues into these late hours, hardly finding time to do anything other than breathe and cram sugar down his gullet.

He was fast approaching his stopping point, Watari knew. One computer on his far left began to shut down while he still busily typed at the keyboard of another. There were a number of emails from task force members regarding primarily when exactly the investigation could resume and they could return to the building, though they only were a small minority. He currently only sifted through one of the many email addresses L possessed. Not even the most brilliant hacker could manage to locate each one, though they had most certainly tried.

Just as the final computer was being put to rest for the night and all of the television screens turned to black, Watari turned his chair around to face a raven-haired man standing right next to the door. His eyes were tired.

Watari spoke calmly to the silent detective, "L, is something the matter?"

* * *

**A/N:** A couple little notes.

I haven't forgotten about Misa. ;) But, rest assured, I promise that the end will not be disappointing. Stick around for the ride and you will be a very happy camper.

Anyway, here's the Shakespeare sonnet I promised. L says the first three lines in this chapter.

Sonnet 73

That time of year thou mayst in me behold  
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang  
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,  
Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the birds sang.  
In me thou seest the twilight of such day  
As after the sunset fadeth in the west,  
Which by and by black night doth take away,  
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.  
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire  
That on the ashes of youth doth lie,  
As the death-bed whereon it must expire,  
Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.  
This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong,  
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.


	29. Pepperpot

Hello there! It's been too long, I know. If you're ever curious about any of my absences, I'll undoubtedly have an update of what's been going on at the bottom of my profile page. But in summary, the last few months of school were hellish, my computer got a nasty virus (no files lost), and I lost track of how many performances I had.

The bright side? It's summer and this is by far the longest chapter of Happy Holidays to date, nearly 30 pages of Word document. Yikes. BUT I do hope you enjoy it. I put a lot into this baby, and we're in for a wild ride from here on out. :)

As always, I give tons of thanks to my reviewers. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten off of my lazy butt because of you guys.

The songs that most heavily influenced the chapter were:  
_The Seal Lullaby_ by Eric Whitacre  
_Samson_ by Regina Spektor  
_Trust Me_ by The Fray

Check my profile for a link to the ficmix, if you'd like to listen.

_P.S._ The bottom half of this somehow lost all of the spaces in between paragraphs and whatnot and I _think_ I fixed all of it. They may or may not be a line or two squished together when they should be in separate lines altogether.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 29**  
Pepperpot Day  
**

* * *

Light awoke to find himself lying alone in bed.

Or rather, on the opposite side crouched L over his laptop. His eyes remained glued to the screen.

Light's body, now aware of the fact that things were not as warm as they had been the last time he'd been awake, was wracked by a shiver. He quickly drew more sheets around his body – well, as much as he could with L _on top of them_ – to rid himself of the unpleasant sensation. He kept his eyes firmly shut. His internal clock told him it was bordering absurdly early. Well, at least absurdly early for what was technically Christmas vacation.

But he had arguably been on Christmas vacation for the whole month of December….

Things were normal again. Neither of them would say a word of what had happened to previous day. The thought seeped into his mind as soon as he could grasp at words (opposed to just the cold). So overwhelming of the sudden sensation of lying beneath the sheets by himself that it had for a moment blocked out all other notions in his head. It was ridiculous to worry about something like that.

L still hadn't looked away from his computer to him. Light was certain the man would be aware of his presently conscious state. He peered over some of the sheets around his body. L was the only thing really visible in the dark bedroom. The curtains were still drawn shut and the little stars on the ceiling had lost their glow altogether. The computer screen lit his face and torso.

Sighing to himself under the sheets, Light peeled back a layer or two to reach over to his nightstand. There sat his ever-trusty hairbrush. He went to work at getting whatever knots could've formed overnight, making sure every strand was in place. He had his back facing the busy fingers hopping across a keyboard. Light had accepted the temporary silence, as L was prone to working idly for indeterminable amounts of time, which made it all the more startling to hear his impassive voice.

"What first comes to mind when you hear the word 'pepperpot,' Light?" His fingers had not stopped.

Brush still in hand, Light pondered the word for a moment. His voice was slightly scratchy from sleep. "It sounds average enough, perhaps even the combination of two words. Obviously with that approach this would mean 'pepper' and 'pot.' It's probably hardly that simple, though."

"Correct. There is more than one pepperpot. Your conclusion is accurate for _one_ definition of the word. There is the pepperpot revolver, Mrs. Pepperpot from a children's book series, two buildings in England called Pepperpot and Pepper Pot (the latter separated into two words), Philadelphia Pepper Pot stew, The Pepperpots from _Monty Python's Flying Circus_, the Guyana Pepperpot dish, and finally the pepperpot lighthouse." L shifted his position slightly. The motion transferred through the mattress. "Naturally, I am quite tired of foods from this month, as I'm certain you may be as well. I veto them solely on this fact. After deliberation I have settled on one of those options."

Light absently toyed with some of the bristles on his hairbrush. "And that would be what?"

"Guess."

Since the detective couldn't rightly see him, Light gave into the urge of rolling his eyes. He wasn't in the mood for a game. Nevertheless, he thought of all the pepperpots L had rattled off.

"You're considering visiting a lighthouse. You almost made it too obvious, however, by placing that at the end of your list. Though of course, there's always the argument by making it so blatantly obvious that it's hidden even better. A 'purloined letter,' you could say…" Light found himself toying with the bristles of his brush, deciding to continue since L made no move to interject. "That, and we've been relatively close to a lighthouse this month. I can't say whether or not it could be called a 'pepperpot,' but it's likely you chose it for that purpose even then."

"You are correct again. We will depart at five in the evening for the very lighthouse you speak of. As to whether or not it's a pepperpot opposed to some other lighthouse variety…" L's spidery finger tapped on the up and down arrows of his keyboard, searching through the sections of text on the bright page. "They're small lighthouses found in Canada, with short towers and located at harbors. Painted white, wooden shingles… Lantern and trim red. But, usually _just_ in Canada. Riddle me that."

"A uniquely Canadian lighthouse in Japan?"

"Indeed."

Light brought the brush back to his hair, resuming taming his locks. A frown settled on his face, though his back remained facing the man behind him. "How old is it?"

"It's quite old…nineteenth century, late. Even more peculiar, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah. You know more than you're letting on." He chose not to phrase it as a question. L, he heard, paused from typing. Undoubtedly a hand was occupied by some other task, like pensively toying with his bottom lip. Light was almost certain he was right.

A soft hum came from the detective, occupying the quiet with the laptop and the sounds of Light's hairbrush. There was a shift atop the sheets.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. If so, you would gain any withheld information at some point after our arrival. Is this satisfying?"

"I guess." The coffee pot was just calling out to him. On top of that, the cold of being out from under the warm sheets and having the metal cuff directly on his bare skin was maddening. He wasn't so concerned about fun facts on a historical landmark for the time being. It would be a normal trip for the holiday as it had been in the past.

"Light?"

"What is it?" Brush bristles still gliding through his hair, he turned his head to glance over his shoulder. L had finally torn his eyes from the screen, but didn't quite meet Light's gaze. It was focused someplace else, but close to his face…

"Light, might I borrow your hairbrush?"

Incredulous, Light finally shifted his body to better face the detective. Was he actually serious?

"You're going to brush…your hair?" Light ventured.

A small frown settled on L's features. "That is what people normally use a hair brush for, is it not? Moreover, I would rather you not speak to me as if I had the mental capabilities of a toddler."

Sighing, Light tossed the brush over to the other side of the bed. He hadn't quite finished, but somehow the loss wasn't so devastating. He could get away with a few moments of brushing his hair gone, just as he could forget to brush his teeth once in a blue moon. He wouldn't be falling apart at the seams from missing twenty strokes…not that he was counting. While L examined the foreign object between two fingers, Light rummaged around for his phone.

It wasn't long until he heard the familiar sound of hair going through the bristles. Honestly, he hadn't ever seen the man try to tame his mess of hair. He humored himself with thoughts of how different L's hair brushed might look, if it was any different at all. The heel of his hand was brought to rub against his eye, trying to get rid of the fatigue that still clung there.

The sound of brushing came to an abrupt halt. It was, of course, to be replaced by another altogether.

Had there been something else on in the background such as the television, a microwave, a telephone…chances were he never would have picked up on it. But in the quiet of the room, it was all too clear.

A slight grunt of frustration.

L's voice came out in a low hiss. He lapsed into English.

"_Shit."_

He had to admit it, he wasn't all that surprised…. However, Light wasn't about to turn around and offer assistance. Not a chance. A small smirk crept onto a corner of his mouth. L would either have to figure out how to solve his problem by himself or – heaven forbid – _give up_ and grovel grudgingly before Light. Now, it was a battle of will. How long could L hold out?

Perhaps almost as fun as the groveling was the baiting.

"Is something wrong, L?" Light asked. He was the mannerly student, the model citizen. Well, except for that sly smile he couldn't quite seem to wipe from his face.

L didn't even bother to grunt in response.

He was beyond irritated. It was too good. Unless L found some brilliant solution, Light would win. Certainly the detective had figured out this already. It perhaps only further strengthened his resolve, but it hardly mattered.

"I'm sure you can hear me. Refusing to respond is a bit childish, wouldn't you say so?"

There was barely a pause. L drily replied, muttering more so than speaking. "You would know."

It wouldn't be long. He couldn't turn around now. No, he had to stay in wait. Light went through various settings on his phone absent-mindedly, keeping the weak illusion of appearing busy. It wasn't as if L bought it at all, Light knew. If anything, it further teased him.

"Surely you can come up with something better? It's not as if I haven't heard that one a few hundred times…"

"However, it…" L momentarily ceased, attempting another futile downward pull with the brush, and resumed through partially gritted teeth, "…is very appropriate."

Light toyed with his message inbox. _Misa, Misa, Misa, Misa, Misa, Misa…oh, look. Matsuda. Misa, Misa, Misa…_

"So L, please reconsider answering my question: is there something wrong?"

He could feel a stare burning into his back.

A whispery sigh leaked from L's mouth mixed in with the hum of his laptop.

"I…seem to have a knot in my hair."

"Oh?" Light innocently said.

"Initially I concluded I wouldn't need your assistance. After all, I could manage to brush it out or, if needed be, cut the said knot with a pair of scissors. But…further complications arose."

"'Further complications' being…?"

It was maddening to not turn around. God, he wanted to see the look on that man's face. It would be the grimace to rival all grimaces. He'd have to photograph it and hang it on the wall, maybe even send it to Guinness.

"The hairbrush is tangled in my hair."

"Well, that's – "

L interjected in his fluid baritone, "Please stop being a coy blighter – it's unbecoming of you – and take a look at it."

"Blighter?" Light asked, fully aware of the connotation. He turned his body around to face the detective, legs crossed and his demeanor dominated by a mild sort of shrewd amusement. L merely glanced at him as he readjusted himself.

"You're quite the parrot today, aren't you." His hand still clung pitifully from the hairbrush stuck in his wild mess of hair. It was no wonder he had difficulties; the knot had been at the back of his scalp. "Though I thought it would be less vulgar sounding than 'jack-ass.'"

"You're cranky."

"Blighter."

"Whatever. If you need a hand as you've claimed, the way you're sitting will make the job unnecessarily difficult." Light stretched his arms a bit, body still trying to shake off the stiffness it'd acquired from sleep. He tried to peer around L as well, catching a glimpse of the handle of the brush. Of course, he had to have had a black brush. The universe was never kind.

Silently L pushed his closed laptop to the end of the bed, shifting his position on the sheets. He bent forwards terribly, his chin nearly resting on his knees. His hands fell to his sides on the comforter, palms facing downward, fingertips still. L tended to resemble the walking dead from time due to those long bouts of sleepless nights, but Light still thought it felt odd. It was almost as if he had gone on vacation and just knew he'd left something enormously important at home, but couldn't quite seem to put his finger on what it was. The minuteness of the feeling, however, caused it to be brushed off after a moment or so.

Light brought his right hand to wrap around the handle of the brush, the other holding down on L's scalp to keep his head steadied. How difficult could it truly be to remove a brush from hair? Granted, the spot was hardly accessible for the sufferer. Nevertheless he gave the brush an experimental tug. L tensed slightly, and nothing else happened. No loosening. His finger on L's scalp slipped just slightly, brushing over some strands.

_Soft._

Mentally shaking his head, Light attempted a second tug. L barely moved at all and neither had the brush. There it stuck, indefatigable and sturdy as if it were Excalibur. He heard a shallow sigh from L.

"Pulling it out clearly won't be solving anything. I also don't intend to spend the rest of my days with this sticking from the back of my head," he stated simply.

"Then what, pray tell, do you suggest?"

With a rustling of the chain L crawled over to his nightstand on the opposite side of the bed. A drawer flew open and a pale hand rummaged around carefully. In perhaps under a minute he'd drawn out a gleaming object, reflecting the suddenly approaching light of dawn. It began to overtake the shadows and low lamplight with its rosy fingers. L placed the scissors on the comforter directly before Light, resuming his prior position.

"Are you certain that –"

"Of course," he said, seemingly growing dispirited as the time dragged on. "Just don't get rid of more than you need to. That's all. I'd prefer not to have a bald-spot in my twenties if I can avoid it."

Light's eyes traveled over the dull blades. He could barely see himself in them at all. After a short moment of deliberation his fingers slid through the holes, grasping the handles and feeling its peculiar weight. His other hand searched through the hopelessly knotted hair to find a proper place to quickly free the brush. L remained absolutely still. He made his first decisive cut, strands of black hair floating down to the comforter.

The brush did not loosen immediately. Two more snips here and there created a tiny nest of tresses sitting between them. The knot sat amongst the mess. L's hair had barely suffered a loss by the end of it, likely because of the fact that he certainly didn't lack hair, but the small uneasy feeling found its way back into the pit of Light's stomach.

It was only hair.

Once the scissors had been set back down upon the bed, L's hand went back to run through and ruffle the afflicted area. He hardly fussed over it at all, merely tossing the scissors back in his nightstand and shutting it with and outstretched foot. Light looked to him curiously.

"You did a satisfactory job," L commented, voice a scant detached. "Watari will attend to the mess. I'm going to visit the kitchen for some coffee. I haven't seemed to have had anything reach my stomach yet this morning."

Slipping on some socks, Light could do little more than trail behind. He brushed some stray strands that had lingered on his hands quickly, as if they burned his flesh.

* * *

It was nearly time for their departure. The sun already began retiring for the day, weary from the winter cold. Light reached for a simple black scarf within the closet and L grudgingly set to work at putting on his beaten tennis shoes. Clad in his coat, Light strode over to the mirror while adjusting his scarf. Everything seemed perfectly in place. Somehow, though, he felt as though he should still busy himself while L fumbled with his laces. He tucked a few strands behind his ear, brushed his pants, and glanced at the time on his wristwatch. The seconds slipped away. He watched offhandedly for nearly a minute before letting his arm drop back to his side.

In doing so, he caught sight of something foreign on the desk. L never worked on the desk in the bedroom. Or, at least, Light hadn't ever seen it. It was always there against the wall, empty and unused. A wasted attempt, perhaps, at getting the detective to work at a desk rather than hunched over on a bed. And yet, there on the lonely furniture lay a stack of photographs. Light was in each and every one.

On the topmost one, there was L.

Together with similar faces of discontent and faces squished together, cheek-to-cheek.

He began to reach down for the photos, but his fingers curled to his palm and the action stopped altogether. His hand stayed suspended in the air. L's voice rang into the quiet before he could even contemplate his hesitation.

"Your mother sent them by means of your father yesterday. He's practically the Yagami postal serviceman at this point, I would say. Anyway, they are the majority of the pictures she took Christmas evening. You may look at them if you like. They're addressed to you, after all." L's thin fingers delicately pulled secure the knot of his right shoe. "In ten minutes we head for the elevators."

Light peered over at him out of the corner of his eye. "Does it bother you that my mother took a picture of you? This is the first one I've seen of you…."

"And the only in existence, granted she hasn't printed more than what sits there or uploaded it to every social network on the internet." L frowned slightly at the task of doing his left shoe. He continued to stare at the thing, as if expecting it to go away. "As long as it stays that way, I'm not angry about the photo. Do what you like with it. Stick it to a dart board, put it in your scrapbook, toss it in the wastebasket, or even draw a comical mustache or two. It really doesn't matter. Likewise for the ones with Miss Amane, I might add."

Hardly even realizing it, the photos had somehow made their way into Light's hands during the exchange. A hand-written note from his mother was forgotten on the envelope, still on the desk. He flipped through the stack, nearly every one identical. Misa beamed into the camera and posed if at a shoot. He looked like the perfect boyfriend with the flawless smile. With that smile he could fool them all, deceive them hopelessly.

All except L.

Misa returned to the desk to accompany the note. He had no use for them, nor desire.

He held instead in his hands a fragile moment made of printer paper and ink. Why was it that the picture could stay the way it was, he wondered, and not age? In it they remained immune from time, from disease, from loneliness, and from Kira. There were days he hated to see fade in the depth of his memories, days he wished could be put in one of those glass cases and left alone. He held in his hands the only photo of L in the world.

The single picture of L and Light.

"Light…? _Light?_ Have you gone into a catatonic state? Do I need to phone a doctor?" came L's voice, somewhat far-off.

Light quickly set the picture down, bringing himself to his senses. He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of L peering at him directly to his right. His large eyes bored into him, curious.

"I'm fine. I apologize. We should be going, shouldn't we?" Light glanced at the face of his watch, finding that it was indeed five minutes until their departure time.

Without a word L began to shuffle to the door and out into the hall. His laces dangled precariously above the ground, ready to get caught under his feet at any moment and send him crashing down. Light followed in a similarly silent manner, the photograph left behind on the empty desk.

* * *

L was first to step into the bitter cold of the evening. He almost disappeared into his coat upon exiting the limousine. It was the same he'd gotten on Christmas, the one that generated its own heat. Dry, icy wind pulled his black hair eastward.

Light followed shortly afterward and nearly found himself falling on his face. Right off of the paved road they met ground completely covered by weathered sea rocks. Now with the ravages of winter they all were covered in a considerable layer of ice. He held out his arms to properly steady himself, catching sight of L peering skyward to his right. He was still buried inside of that black coat. Light followed his gaze and found himself staring at the strong beam of the lighthouse. It passed over them far more quickly than before now that they had come so close. Nearly everything was illuminated.

A cold tug on his wrist brought him back to his senses. Trudging off to the small cottage near the lighthouse was L's retreating figure. Light struggled to keep his footing on the precarious stones while catching up with the man. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief once he met L at the door of the cottage without having become closely acquainted with the ground. L knocked on the little wooden door several times. His hands retreated at once to the warmth of his pockets.

Two pairs of eyes watched the door as time ticked away. L busied himself by switching his weight from foot to foot, still relishing in the warmth of his coat. Light glanced at the second hand of his watch periodically. It was a weak sort of suspense.

Eventually the door did creak open, revealing the wrinkled face of an elderly man. He adjusted his thick glasses at once, as if trying to figure out if the large-eyed detective slouched before him was real or not. His gravelly voice sent out a weak cloud of air into the cold winter evening. It was laced faintly with nicotine.

"I'm sorry, boys, but the touring hours ended at four – "

"We are not here for a tour," said L suddenly. The bespectacled man was taken aback by L's curt interruption. L, however, still stared at him unblinkingly.

Light concluded he'd merely watch the following scene with some interest.

"Excuse me? And who might you be?" came the man's response. His feathers were ruffled, changing his stance and further opening the door.

"Hmm…I suppose we should have properly introduced ourselves to you, Ashitaka-san." L hardly seemed to notice the man's contorting facial expressions, having not said a word of his own name. "I propose to you a deal. In return for telling us about the history of your lighthouse and the grounds, we will tell you who we are and our purposes. _Quid pro quo_."

The elderly man, now Ashitaka, continued to look to L reproachfully. He seemed almost paralyzed in the ensnaring traps that were L's eyes. He managed to find what was left of his voice after that short moment.

"What else do you know, exactly…?"

"About you?" L asked. His gaze traveled nowhere, nothing on his face twitched, but Light knew his mind was at work. L sorted through memories as quick as he could, through facts, until he picked the ones he liked most for the situation. "Well, you are seventy-six years old, for starters. Born in Osaka, dropped out of school at sixteen. Worked in a steel mill directly afterward which produced mainly military supplies. Married five years later to M–"

"That's enough!"

"Oh? I apologize. But in all fairness, you did ask."

The man finally glanced around the hunched form of L to Light's straight figure. Some red had risen to his sallow cheeks and his eyes passed over Light for just an instant.

"And I suppose I'm not going to know his name until you get what you want?" he grumbled slightly. A façade for anxiety.

"Correct. Also, might I request entrance to the house? I can't imagine this will do your heating bill any good."

A frown etched the man's face. He now deliberately avoided L's eyes, despite how much older he was than the twenty-something year old detective. Light knew the gaze that Ashitaka had been subjected to. It peeled away your skin to the bone where you thought every thought, every memory, every secret, could be seen by L. That is, if it were possible. Ashitaka, it seemed, was having his doubts.

"Very well. You're welcome to come inside."

L hardly even appeared to care about pleasantries as he shuffled into the house of a complete stranger, a stranger that he knew all about. All too eagerly he kicked off his shoes – no socks on, of course – and started off somewhere. Before he could get to whatever he fancied analyzing the tautness that was the chain made him lurch backward. He cast a mildly peeved look at Light.

Light, on the other hand, had barely stepped foot into the home. Carefully he set down his shoes next to L's grungy old sneakers. Ashitaka closed the door behind him as he shrugged off his coat. The difference in temperature after leaving the evening air was almost startling. He could feel goose bumps prickle across his skin, causing a light shiver to wrack him.

And, of course, Ashitaka was still looking to them expectantly.

Seeing as though L remained obstinate, the burden had shifted to him. Light restrained a sigh.

"We appreciate your hospitality greatly, Ashitaka-san." Light bowed briefly. He was now the focus of the man's attention. "Though I do apologize for any rudeness from my colleague. He's often not aware of when he speaks carelessly of such things."

The man simply let out a kind of grunt, as if waiting for Light to continue groveling. There was a tension in the air. Light still felt distinctly unwelcome, no thanks to L's previous 'greeting' strategy. L seemed to hardly notice or care about his predicament. He was in his detached L-world again, glancing at furniture and carpets as if they held all of the secrets to the universe and life itself. Light quickly began to formulate something to lessen that all too uncomfortable tension hanging around them, when all of a sudden he was saved by the metaphorical bell.

His wife.

Clad in her gaudy Christmas sweater and fuzzy slippers, Ashitaka's wife meandered into the room. Chances were she wouldn't have even noticed three men standing around near the front door, two being complete strangers. However, she had the misfortune of bumping into L.

Her eyes widened in shock, stumbling backward. "Oh! Oh! Who are you! What are you doing-!"

"Calm down, dear," the man quickly. "They're just guests, here to see the lighthouse."

L turned around at last, peering at the elderly woman with curiosity. A finger dangled from his bottom lip.

"My, why didn't you tell me sooner! I nearly thought I had run into a ghost, dressed in white and so ghastly pale…"

Again, Light was second to be noticed. It hardly shattered his ego. L was just so peculiar, it was no wonder he was quick to attract attention. The kind of attention was another matter completely. But, the woman did catch some movement from him and she switched her attention.

"Oh, so this is the other visitor. Now, here's a healthy glow. But you both look so dreadfully cold! Let me fix some tea before to go back out into that winter air to get to the lighthouse." She turned and began shuffling to what Light presumed was their kitchen.

"Wait!"

The voice was loud enough that she did hear it, hardly having taken five steps. Ashitaka's wife turned, surprised to see that the sudden interjection had come from the recently silent specter-like young man. His big, dark eyes stared at her intently.

"Would you happen…to have any cookies?"

"Why, yes. I made some this morning, actually. I wanted something to do in the house, the weather being so dreadfully bad. I'll bring some back with your tea."

"Thank you, miss."

She managed to round the corner without interruptions and disappeared from sight. L continued to fiddle with his lip with a finger, perhaps staring at nothing at all and leaving Light to keep Ashitaka occupied.

Surprisingly, Light wasn't the one to break the returned bout of silence.

"Well, she'll be back in just a few minutes," Ashitaka stated, not quite as defensive as he had been mere moments ago. "We can talk about the stories you'll want to hear and who you two are in the living room as soon as she gets back. It's just over here."

The three men made their way over to the living room, L trailing behind Light as his eyes roamed over knick knacks and rugs and framed photos. Ashitaka took a seat in what Light assumed to be his usual armchair, large and plush. An unused fireplace stood at one side and was covered with more family photos, almost to the point of excess. Light and L eventually found their way to a couch. At once Light could feel Ashitaka's stare as L just continued to act unusually. It was almost alarming at how common it was for Light to witness L's manner of "sitting."

Just as Light thought he'd have to fill up the uncomfortable silence a second time, L finally tore his attention from the decorations and fixtures. He stared directly into Ashitaka's eyes, perhaps not even intending to make the man squirm ever so slightly.

"We will need information about the lighthouse before we are to tell you anything about ourselves," he stated bluntly.

Ashitaka hesitated. It was written across his aged face that he contemplated giving L a piece of his mind, and yet he bit his tongue instead. Frowning, he began to speak again.

"I can't imagine why you two decide to come out at nighttime just to find out that old story. Keeping your identities secret, on top of that. Folks around here all know what happened at the lighthouse, so I'm assuming neither of you are from around here."

"Continue," L simply stated.

"Hmph. Well, the lighthouse itself is a little old. It has nothing on the age of the surrounding shrines, but everyone's been surprised at how long the Canadian's handiwork has lasted. Joseph Harper came down from Canada in the late 1800s, probably 1880 or thereabouts. He built lighthouses on the southwestern coast of his homeland and he carried his trade to here. This was the first and the last lighthouse he constructed in Japan. I've heard it's been called a 'pepperpot' style, or something like that… Anyway, he married one of the local women soon after he finished making the lighthouse and his own home. This home is the same he lived in with his wife."

"What was her name?"

Ashitaka scratched the back of his head, fishing around for an answer. "Kikou of the Hata clan? It was something like that. I'm sure she was a Hata. Her family didn't take kindly to her marrying a foreigner, but she still went off and married him. They probably would've lived a fine life together. For as long as anyone could remember the waters here were filled with fish and the ground good for growing. The soil stayed fine, but one year the fish just seemed to disappear. It hadn't been long since Kikou and Joseph married. People went for a long time without the fish. The lighthouse had been used to direct ships to the area's little harbor after Joseph built it. But, once the fish left it was used for other purposes.

"If the lighthouse's beam wasn't on, ships risked crashing into the cliff here. Often times, though, the rocks would get you before the cliff did. It was risky stuff getting into the harbor at night before the lighthouse. Sailors depended on it heavily when it did come about. Too heavily, though. Joseph found out a clever way of keeping him and his wife fed. Once a month when the moon was black in the sky and of no use to a ship on the sea, the lighthouse wouldn't be there to help guide it. Sure enough, it'd crash into the rocks and the cliff. No one had hope of surviving such a wreck. Joseph would go down and collect whatever money or gold he would get from the ship, and eventually his wife joined in. She hated it from the start, but once their bellies were fuller and she could buy new clothes Kikou managed to bring herself to lend a hand.

"They were able to live like that for nearly two years. Joseph was able to strengthen his lighthouse, his own home got better furnishings… They never flaunted that new money, though. They were worried of what would happen if anyone heard about their mysterious prosperity. No one ever bothered them and their comfortable life continued until –"

"Tea's ready!" spouted Ashitaka's wife. She shuffled into the living room with a tray in hand, covered with four steaming cups of tea, a bowl of sugar, and a plate covered with the fresh cookies of that morning. L at that moment in time could've cared less about the lighthouse's history.

Unaware of the pivotal point in the story, she passed out the warm cups to each of the men and set the cookies and sugar on the table. It sat in the center of the room not more than an arm's length from each chair. She settled herself into a rocker while L went to work preparing his tea. Light merely sipped at his while Ashitaka and his wife stared with mild revulsion at the seeming never-ending amount of sugar cubes L would drop into his cup. Not until he was satisfied with how sickeningly sweet he'd made his tea and he had grabbed three or more cookies did he return to the couch. He stared at Ashitaka expectantly. Ashitaka quickly averted his eyes and drew in a breath to continue.

"Well, like I was saying, they didn't have to worry about food or their finances anymore. Each trip to the ships that they'd destroyed brought new money. No one ever survived the shipwrecks until one evening during the summer of 1891. It was to be the last time they ever sunk a ship, because in the debris they found a young girl, still clinging to life."

The woman raised her eyebrows, the cup hovering inches away from her lips. "Oh, you're telling that story again! That poor, poor creature. Why, I think Kikou –"

Ashitaka sighed. "I'm getting to that, dear. Could I continue, please?"

"Fine, do as you want," she huffed lightly.

Ashitaka resumed, cup in hand but his tea not reaching his mouth. "Kikou felt the worst for the poor girl. She came from a Japanese whaling ship. It was strange, a girl and a young one at that on that kind of a vessel. Probably she was without a mother and had to go with her father when he went out to sea. Kikou and Joseph hadn't had a child. The woman couldn't bear the thought of letting the girl die, so they took the girl back to their home and did their best to nurse her to health. No one knows how long the girl survived, but her health only continued to decline and she finally died one night.

"They were horrified at what they did to the girl. Hastily they hid her body and fled from their home. They took what money they could and the clothes from their backs. Nobody could ever figure out where they went after that. And, no one could ever find the girl's body."

"Some folks think they've seen the ghost of the girl they murdered around the grounds," Ashitaka's wife said, seriousness written across her face. "I've seen her twice on the beach, and once in the bedroom."

"A ghost?" L inquired. Chewed-up cookies in his mouth hardly made his speech audible.

"People have claimed to see a young girl's ghost, yes," Ashitaka replied with reluctance. "The lighthouse gets tourists because of those sightings. They're few and far between, though, so don't be getting your hopes up if that was your reason for coming here."

L swallowed what cookies were still left in his mouth. "I have to thank you for the tea and cookies and, not to mention, your story. I suppose I can tell you who we are at this point. Do keep in mind, however, that we have a number of questions for you." He brought the tea back to his mouth and took a heavy drink from it, licking his lips. "We are both detectives that from time to time work for L."

Ashitaka blinked profusely. "_L?_ Isn't that the detective trying to catch Kira?"

"Yes, the very same. I am Ryuuzaki and this is my colleague Asahi-san. L is devoting the majority of his attention to the Kira case and is therefore unable to focus on his other work. He's asked us to come and solve the case of the girl's missing body."

So that was it, Light thought. It was more than just spooky stories late at night in a haunted house. L wanted to solve a case. But why, he wondered, did he bother to pursue a cold case that had neither a handsome reward attached or any viable reason at all? Finding the body of a girl whose parents were long dead wouldn't put them on the cover of a newspaper or give a family closure. There was something else.

"But, no one's been able to do that! It's been over a hundred years," Ashitaka said, growing more and more perplexed.

It was Light's turn to play along some more, now that L had spelled out his agenda.

"We're merely following L's orders. He handed us this case, so we will put forth all of our effort to solve it. " Light set down his nearly-empty cup and made use of one of the couch's armrests. "Now, you said no one has been able to find her body. Where have 'they' searched?"

Ashitaka's wife piped up again. "Oh, they never sent the girl off to sea. No one like her ever washed ashore. She was never buried. Years ago, previous owners tore into the ground to provide this home and the lighthouse with electricity and the house with running water on top of that. Nothing was ever found buried in the earth. Nowadays people won't dare to look anymore, because of her ghost that haunts the place."

"Are you sure you're going to try to find the girl?" Ashitaka asked. "If you even do manage to do something like that, it'll be more time than you're wanting to invest into this. There have been searches in the past and not a hint of where that body could be."

"We will find the girl. I suspect she will be found before, say, midnight? Yes, that sounds about right…" L nibbled on another one of his cookies. The pile from the table had already dwindled some more. "Now, please tell us more about the actual property. What here is left from when Kikou and Joseph lived on the grounds?"

"There is one room – a bedroom – that no one's ever tampered with. It was theirs. Kikou's kimonos are still in the closet along with Joseph's things. The bed is untouched, Joseph's cigar case is still half-way empty in a drawer, the paintings are the same…" Ashitaka trailed. "Now, we have and past owners of this house have dusted it every now and then, but nothing has ever leaves the room and everything gets put exactly where it's supposed to be. It's one of the attractions other than the lighthouse. People say they see her ghost there from time to time."

"I see…" L shifted his precarious position on the couch cushions. "Have there been any alterations on this house since they left, other than the addition of utilities?"

The elder man's gaze shifted down to the handle of his cup, raking through his memories. "I can't say there has…"

"Very well, then. We'll need to request your permission to have access to any and all parts of the grounds. This includes every room of the house as well as the lighthouse."

"_Every_ room?" Ashitaka's wife croaked. "I'm not so sure about this. I can't have a stranger rummaging through my valuables, detective or not!"

"Miss, I sincerely apologize for your trouble," Light quickly spoke _before_ L could. "These _are_ L's orders and we can't just come back to him empty-handed. After he removes us from the case he will send others in our place, and I can't assure you that they will be quite as polite and considerate as we have been. However, if you allow us to stay we will attend to the other rooms and check them thoroughly before visiting your quarters."

"That doesn't mean you aren't going to go through my things. You'll just be doing _that_ last."

"I'm very confident there's going to be a wealth of information in that untouched room and the lighthouse. It's highly unlikely we'll need to go to those rooms at all," Light assured. He saw a resigned Ashitaka in the corner of his eye.

While L further gorged himself on another cookie – since when were there only two on the plate? – Ashitaka managed to silence his wife's protests.

Standing from his chair, he pulled from his pants pockets a ring of keys. Old metal and modern steel rattled against each other. He tossed them to Light who caught them in his unchained hand.

"You said you'll be done before midnight? Well, I'll hold you to that. You can go wherever these keys can take you, but they'll need to be back to be by that time. If you end up having to destroy anything on your search and you don't find anything, it's coming from your pockets. That's all."

Light quickly glanced down at his watch. Half-past seven.

L claimed he could solve a century's old cold case in four-and-a-half hours.

Or less.

L nodded just slightly. "We agree to your terms. Now, where is this preserved room you spoke of?"

Ashitaka pointed a finger to the hall his wife had previously traveled to get their tea. "Go down that hallway and take a right. It's the last room you come upon."

"Right, then." L carefully placed his bare feet on the floor. "Come, Asahi-san. We have much to do before the night ends."

Light carefully set his now-empty cup on the table and managed to bow again before the chain pulled taut on his wrist. The sour expression on Ashitaka's wife's face lessened only slightly. He caught up to L a short moment later. More walls lined with photos stared back at them. It wasn't until they rounded the corner of the hall and were out of site did Light speak a word to L.

"How was it exactly that you knew she'd made cookies...?"

"Oh, that?" He plucked the keys from Light's grip and flipped through them, still making his way to the door.

"Yes, that."

"She had some baking flour on the corner of her sweater. _Elementary, my dear Watson_."

"Just open the door."

* * *

A jiggle of the knob confirmed the fact that they would indeed have to use the ring of keys. After a careful examination of what they had, L stuck inside a shiny new key. They were awarded with a soft click and before Light knew it, L had pulled him into the darkness of the dead couple's bedroom with the door closing behind them. He froze, totally oblivious to whatever could be in the room and his eyes desperately trying to adjust to the deprivation of light.

"What was that!" he hissed into the dark.

The sound of tinkling metal and fabric met his ears. Seconds later a match hit a striker and burst into a small, bright flame some feet away. L's pale face became illuminated in the dark. The match was clutched delicately between two of his thin fingers.

"I could see no light switches, so I assumed there to be candles or lamps. The latter is over _there_…"

The flame sauntered off to some other part of the bedroom. Light stood frozen where he was, not too keen on fumbling over furniture or god knew what to follow L in the pitch-black room. Sure enough, though, there was a lamp. L hastily lit the wick and the lamp created a much appreciated glow. Light released a sigh.

Shadows still clung to the corners and behind furniture, but he could finally take in the sight of his surroundings. It was a peculiar jumble of a traditional Japanese home mixed with Victorian. Small Japanese household deities sat before a mirror. Beside them novels of Brontë, Dickens, Wilde, and Hawthorne stacked high. Their pages turned a sickly yellow, spines in tatters. Red silk drapes obscured the window's view. Fine rugs covered the floor with spiraling patterns and intricacies. A distinctly Western bed stood off of the ground with its proud canopy. His eye was then caught by a fine piece of calligraphy hanging from the wall. However, a finger tapped gingerly on his shoulder, as if it would burn if it lingered too long.

He turned to see the expectant gaze of L, matchbox in hand.

"Yes?"

"You happen to be standing in the way of my path to _that_," L said plainly, arm across Light's face and pointing, "candle on the wall."

Once Light had stepped out of the detective's way, he repeated the process of striking the match swiftly across the striker and transporting the trembling flame to the wick. He shook the match soon afterward, a small trail of black smoke circling up to the ceiling. Already L seemed to have lit three or more candles in the room along with the lamp.

He was still turned as he slid the matchbox into his baggy jeans pocket. L's head tilted ever so slightly to the right, showing only a hint of his profile. That pale skin glowed in the soft flames' light and black hair blurred with the shadows. He remembered the world in that mirror he'd been entranced by, remembered how absurd it was that it could so easily ensnare him. A strange fancy overtook him that _this_ was that other side. Light almost found himself reaching out once more, just to prove that it was real.

The sound of violins and the taste of vanilla dissipated as L turned around.

L's eyes flickered to his for only a moment. It settled on some other object in the room.

"Well, there is enough light to work by. I'll start with under the bed…"

Right. They were working on a case now. A case that reaped no real rewards and held little purpose.

Light found his voice and said, "Just one moment."

L didn't even bother to halt his descent to the floor. He held up the sheets dangling off the sides to peer beneath the bed and kept silent. Before he could crawl underneath and get ghastly cobwebs and dust bunnies in his hair, Light decided to continue rather than wait for a verbal response that would undoubtedly never arrive.

"Why are we even bothering to take on this case? I can't wrap my head around why you're choosing to expend time with this when you've claimed to have your hands full with Kira." He crossed his arms against his chest and briefly glanced at the gossamer canopy. It hovered just above his head.

"What a shame," L said wistfully, seeming to address no one in particular. He still examined the space below the mattress. "It appears that Asahi-san is incapable of working on a project other than the Kira case. I suppose I'll have to work alone. I'm quite accustomed to it. He'd probably only have served to hinder my efforts…"

Light frowned. "_Hinder?_"

L still didn't bother to turn to look at him. Instead, he poked his head further under the bed and continued speaking. "Indeed. I'll be able to work far better without assistance, I'm sure."

"Somehow I doubt that." Light crouched down, trying to make out where L's upper torso was in the shadows. "Found any important clues or boogey men yet?"

"Interesting. Well, there's a wooden box and dust in response to your inquiry on my search for clues. Whether or not it will yield any important information is yet to be seen. And," he said, pausing to wiggle out from under the bed, "you almost sound as if you're itching to prove me wrong."

Once totally out from the musty world beneath the mattress L placed the wooden box on his lap, faded and rough on the edges. Dust bunnies peppered his black hair. And, of course, L barely seemed to notice. The detective fiddled with the rusty lock. When shaking the lid yielded no results, he set it atop the comforter and got back onto his feet.

"Well."

Light looked at him curiously. "Well what?"

"You sounded as if you'd already seen something peculiar. Do share."

L was right.

Light crossed his arms, choosing to focus his attention on the steadily burning lamp. "But by doing that, I'd be involving myself in this imprudent case. Which, might I add, is still highly unappealing."

"Ah. That's unfortunate."

Light turned his head ever so slightly. He finally shifted his gaze back to the detective. L had made his way across the room to the stack of crumbling books, opening the cover with care between a thumb and index finger. He scanned whatever was inside with his dark eyes, not once glancing to Light.

"I was hoping that I would not have to resort to this, but," L said coolly, setting Dickens aside to examine the innards of a yellowed Jane Eyre, "it seems I'll have to. You're heartily opposed to this Don Quixote way of doing things. As you see it, that is. So, I'm willing to offer you a deal."

Light leaned upon a post, heedful of its age. He didn't dare put his full weight on it. After so long, it would surely break under the pressure.

He inquired, "A deal? What kind of a deal? Surely you don't mean money. You already provide my family with a salary, the last time I checked."

L's thin hands closed the cover on Jane Eyre and set it aside with the rest. "No. Nothing material."

"Then what? You've certainly been eating up time dancing around an answer."

Two black eyes settled themselves back on Light. The detective remained oddly still and silent. There were plenty of lights in the room to work by, but the shades still hung in different parts of the room. It wasn't the relentless brightness of modern bulbs. Even L's face hand only partial illumination.

"I apologize." L's voice cut into the silence, sounding loud despite how muted he truly was. "I'll reveal our reasons for searching for the girl to you…upon actually completing said task. I'm afraid I still haven't shared a select few details with you pertaining to today."

"So…you're searching for this dead girl _not_ just because you can. Hm. I'd hoped you had more sense than that, but –"

"Are you interested or no?"

Light's list of options was sadly low. He was still constrained to follow the themes of each day, whether they were made up by L or not. The former was typically the case. Also, L had played his cards very well. He knew perfectly well that Light was prone to curiosity and when it came to a challenge, especially against L, he found it hard to refuse if just for the sake of winning. He'd been forced to do idiotic things in the past – dare he try to name them all? – and this certainly wouldn't be the worst.

It was practically another game. L and Light were on the same team again, going from room to room… A murder weapon? Perhaps that would prove crucial. Now, the location – _that_ was really the objective. There were only a few hours of game-play. A few hours and he could go to sleep

_a lithe body curled up against his chest_

in a nice, soft bed. December had scarcely a few more days. He could go home and sleep in his own bed, alone. That was what he wanted. It was still what he wanted.

Wasn't it?

L stared at him expectantly with those owlish eyes in the bedroom's partial light.

"I've decided," Light said finally. L made no move to comment, so he continued, "I'll join in on this investigation. Your goading had nothing to do with it, might I add."

"Oh, it didn't? A shame. I should work harder at it in the future." He hardly seemed to care, finger dangling from his bottom lip. "Nevertheless, I'm pleased. Do share the information you were so reluctant to talk about earlier."

"Fine. It's about the drapes and the comforter."

"Hm, yes. They are quite lovely."

Undeterred, Light went on, "You would expect them to have bought drapes and a bed set with identical fabric. Time would fade the color of the drapes with their contact with the sun. The difference is there, but the fabric isn't the same. Their drapes are clearly fine silk, but the comforter…"

The detective bent over, carefully examining the deep red comforter. "With this, we must hypothesize that they would make sure that their drapes and bed set would match. If this is true, then what significance does your theory hold?"

"It may provide more information on where they put the girl, seeing as though it would be a decent amount of material with which to wrap a body. That could very well explain its absence."

"Perhaps," L mused. "I regret to inform you that a number of theories will hold little evidence to back them. That is, until more peculiarities are found. I'm going to the closet to rummage around. You can try to pry that lock on the chest with one of your bobby pins."

* * *

Light grudgingly had brought out a bobby pin and the chest opened without a hitch. Its contents included in both English and Japanese legal documents, letters, foreign dollars, and other miscellaneous paper things – not one was addressed to Joseph or Kikou. The sheer volume of what did fit in the chest was almost staggering. Light read through these more than once, flipped them over, held them to the light. Well, as best he could with L's investigation of the room. Sometimes, out of the corner of his eye, he'd notice him standing perfectly still. He'd stare at a doorknob or even the wallpaper and then, without any warning, dash somewhere else and peek under a set of drawers.

Even worse was when L got down on the floor to look at things from a lower perspective. Again, he would say nothing except for when he cared to share something worthy of consideration. It was just the way he went around on that carpeting that did nothing short of drive Light up a wall. He couldn't decide how much of it was a bizarre cross between a crawl, a crab-walk, inching along, and god knew what else. Some ways L would manage to twist his body partially fascinated him, but primarily disturbed him. If there had been a boogey man below that bed, L certainly would've scared it out of hiding.

At one point or another L dumped some more things on the bed, a mixture of clothes, knickknacks, and more papers. So as he filed through the chest's contents for perhaps the fourth time (the others just two) an addition of weight dropped onto the bed. His neat stacks were slightly disturbed in the process and he hastened to right them.

"Any bold discoveries?" L asked in his baritone. It held a tinge of weariness which the detective undoubtedly strove to hide.

"You could say that." Light set down a stack of faded and brittle hand-written letters. A small few were English. "None of it belongs to them."

L tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. "None?"

"The majority are addressed to men, all with Japanese names. The only English ones are from American traders. I thought it was strange that they would keep something so suspicious, but they all contain information on later import ships. Aside from that, there are deeds and other sorts of valuable documents. Nothing appeared to pertain to the case at hand, but I began to notice something on the most recent papers. If it were brighter, maybe it wouldn't have been so elusive, but…"

Light reached to a stack closest to him, the kanji barely legible on the paper. He held it with the utmost care, as if it were the thinnest of china. L's large eyes followed his every move.

"There are smudges on the majority of these, some more noticeable than others. It's faintly red. I don't suspect it to be make-up. Perhaps – "

Faster than he could blink, L snatched the top sheet from Light's steady hands. He slid off of the bed, disrupting Light's careful work yet again, and shuffled over to the lamp on the nightstand. Protests were useless, so Light merely realigned his things and prayed L's feet would stay rooted to the ground.

"No, it's not any sort of cosmetics…" L stated, holding the paper between his thumbs and index fingers inches from his face. "I've seen this before."

"Where and when?" Light turned more fully to face him, moving some things to let his legs dangle from the mattress.

"Oh, just a few minutes ago. You've seen it, too. On the way to school every day, I'd venture. It's a mineral substance, ground down from what it used to be. Care to take a guess?"

"Bricks."

"Correct. Now I suppose it's my turn for show and tell. All of the furniture of the room as well as the carpeting is spotless. This we can attribute to the upkeep done by the caretakers. However, there are some possessions which they didn't dare try to clean. These are, of course, clothing items. It's difficult to tell if the closet was ever completely full in order to conclude how much they took in flight, but they did try to cover their tracks as best they could. Kikou neglected to totally purge her shoes of brick dust.

"Their hands and their feet had traces of brick. Either they were in contact with terribly old and weather-worn brick – this would be a task, given brick is highly resilient – or they were building with it before they left." L placed the paper he'd snatched down on the nightstand, though his eyes did not leave it. "Kikou shouldn't have had this dust on her things. Even Joseph would protest to her doing anything but domestic work, putting into consideration the day…"

"He needed all the help he could get," Light spoke. His hands rested on his knees. "They had to leave as quickly as possible, so social norms hardly mattered. The walls of the bedroom could –"

"No," L quickly interjected. "There are no bricks behind the wallpaper. I checked this. Our only substantial evidence is from a few pairs of shoes and your letters. They covered their tracks well, but not well enough."

"Then we're looking for bricks?"

"Precisely."

With that, L took the burning oil lamp by its handle and headed for the door.

* * *

L was nothing short of a bloodhound on a scent trail. He never seemed to stay still, going from room to room and examining each and every wall. Light nearly struggled to keep up with him. Every couple of minutes a harsh tug would pull him by the wrist out of one room into the next, making him stumble after. L's pale fist would hit the walls with practiced raps, ear pressed to the wallpaper. However, which each little test his lips would curve downward ever so slightly. L was hoping that they'd find her in the house, he just knew.

After all, if they found the body in the house it would be one less trip into the icy winter air.

It soon became apparent that there was only one more place that they hadn't given a look. The last bedroom in the home simply wasn't considered. Both glanced at it distastefully, as if it was contaminated. This left the lighthouse.

Grudgingly, L pulled on his sneakers and tied some semblance of a knot for each. They left the house while the husband and wife reclined in the living room with a new pot of steaming tea. Head burrowed into his coat and hands thrust into his pockets, L trudged onward to the lighthouse, Light in tow.

A short walk was all it took. Light, now with the keys, fished them out and unlocked the lone door to the white structure. He entered first. Light had been given the lantern and he peered into the inky darkness of the lighthouse's interior. He noted with dismay that it was just as cold in the lighthouse as it was outside.

That, and the wooden lighthouse had a brick-lined interior. A reddish brick interior.

L took his time making his way in. He stopped in the middle of the doorway, simply letting the frigid air tear its way into the lighthouse, and stared at the door's framework as if he'd never seen anything like it. Light drew his own coat closer to his body. A rusty metal staircase spiraled up farther than he could see into a mass of black. He took two measured steps toward it, slow clouds of breath slipping from his lips.

There was no more biting wind.

Light turned around with his lantern dangling from a hand. L stood before the closed door, brushing off bits of ice from his untamable hair and looking generally ill-humored. His eyes flickered to the flame Light held and shook the moisture from his palms.

"What do you propose we do now? I think I can safely say we found some brick," Light commented, a tad snide.

"'The proof is in the pudding.'"

"_What?_"

"We're going to find out whether or not we've been correct," L murmured. He walked past Light and peered under the bottom stairs, crouching and craning his neck at an odd angle to do so. He spoke again more to whatever bugs could be crawling around on the floor than to Light. "You really should brush up on your idioms, Asahi-san."

Ignoring the quip, he replied, "I hardly think we need to use those names now, L. Ashitaka and his wife are eating more of those cookies in their living room, not pressing their ears to the cracks of that door."

"Light is probably correct. However, I would like to request for Light to bring the lantern to the back of the stairwell. There's a toolbox I'd like to get to."

Once the shadows at the base of the stairs were chased away L pulled out a well-used metal toolbox. Rather than lifting it up and placing it on a higher step the detective plopped onto the ground unceremoniously and flipped open the lid. All sorts of steel gadgets gleamed under the steady flame, undoubtedly used for maintenance on the beam resting above their heads. L didn't bother to look through nuts and bolts and wrenches. From the depths of the great toolbox he pulled out a sizeable iron mallet. He tested its weight in his frail-looking hands.

Light let out a small sigh. "You're going to destroy private property to find a dead body."

L blinked. His pupils were perhaps even larger in the dim lighthouse, if that were possible.

"Well, how else do you suggest we find her? If you can pass through walls like Kitty Pryde, then by all means do so and I'll set this aside."

"Look, I know you can pay for whatever damages you end up doing to this place – "

"You mean damages Light will be doing to this place."

" –but. Wait, _me?_"

"Yes."

Light brought his free hand to his forehead. The night was growing long. He wanted a warm bed more than anything else. Certainly more than looking for a corpse…

"My point is," Light began again, "how will you go about finding her without just tearing apart all of the lighthouse's innards? Not only do we not have enough energy to pull of something so foolhardy, but with that time-limit you put on us…"

"I want to test the walls first. This shouldn't take more than a half-hour, at most."

L held out the mallet with steady arms, staring directly at Light as he always did. Light didn't waver from that gaze. He remembered how vulnerable those two black eyes could make him feel, how ruthless they could be. He couldn't make those things out in the lantern light. There was something different. Perhaps he'd seen it before.

Another sigh made its way out of Light's mouth. He set the lantern down at his feet and took the weight of the mallet. "Fine. What's your plan?"

"I'm going to pick any part of the wall on this ground level. While my ear is against the brick, I'll have you tap several times with that mallet close to where I am. I need to confirm that there is a hollow space between the brick and the wood. I'm almost positive there is."

"How positive?" Light inquired.

L brought a finger to his lip pensively. "Oh, I'd say…ninety-eight percent. A margin of error for misinformation from the lovely elderly couple. They never said anything about a cellar."

"Because you're without fault."

"Well, of course. I am L."

Light could only dead-pan. "Did I ever tell you you're hilarious?"

L looked at him strangely, a slight frown on his features. "I'm not very good at jokes."

After that L wasted no time in going to the wall. His fingers ghosted the surface before he made a move to place his head against the brick. L demeanor tightened just barely; it probably felt like ice. The detective allowed his eyelids to droop in spite of his discomfort, focusing solely on his sense of hearing. Light took this as a sign to advance and made his way over.

L's voice stopped him as he adjusted the mallet in his hands.

"It's probably completely unnecessary, but I'd suggest you don't use that to bash my skull in while I'm not looking. That would be incredibly rude, for one, and would increase your Kira percentage substantially."

"You have little faith," Light retorted, resuming the task of positioning the mallet. It was almost as if he heard L release a humored snort, but he dismissed the idea.

While L stood completely still against the cool brick of the wall, Light carefully tapped the mallet on its surface. L remained there, lingering after the final sound. His features were no longer tight with the discomfort from the chill. He at that moment existed solely for analyzing information, and yet there was a redness about his cheeks. Light could see it even in the shadowy area.

L peeled himself from the wall after that moment. His eyes opened and looked around at the rest of the interior, as if taking into account each and every brick.

"Well?"

L tore his gaze from the bricks back to Light. His hair lay flattened on one side, causing him to look rather comical.

He scratched the back of his head absent-mindedly, as if bothered by it himself. "There is indeed a hollow space. When I first came in, the brick lining the entry struck me as strange. Anyway, I have an idea where we may continue that practice. Should I hear something different…"

"Then we'll assume she's there." Light finished, letting the mallet hang from his side. His shoulders drooped for a moment from its weight. "Somehow, I don't look forward to it much."

"Oh? You don't want this to be a success? All of our hours for naught?"

"You make it seem as though you're giddy with excitement to find a corpse."

L mused, "In a way…"

"Ugh. Just pick a spot. I'm tired."

"Very well."

* * *

If there was ever a time Light was certain his arms would fall off of his body from fatigue, it would've been now. L slowly inched his way along the wall, starting from one side of the doorway, and Light had to keep that mallet raised all throughout. God, he was exhausted as it was. He pined for a bed and the winter chill had slithered its way through his body, despite his coat.

L never asked for a second try at a section of wall. Eyelids firmly shut, he'd stay absolutely still and mull over what he'd heard. Hardly a moment later the process would continue. L would inch along a ways and bring his ear back to the wall and Light would once again have to place some tender taps on the brick. His only consolation was that L hadn't ordered him to tear the whole thing apart. So all he could do was keep up with the detective's snail-like pace and not nod off in the meanwhile.

Roughly half-way around the wall's circumference Light began wondering if they'd even find the girl's body at all. He couldn't really check his watch, but he was certain their time was running dangerously low.

It was then that L didn't move on to another spot. He wouldn't budge at the slightest. Curious, Light watched his still form. Not even a finger twitched on the bricks.

L's casual tone was nearly startling. "Light, if you could…try that same spot again. A bit harder this time."

Wordlessly, the younger man complied. L remained frozen all the while. Then, as soon as Light decided he'd finished, L simply peeled his body from the wall and faced him. Light let his mallet hang limp at his side. The detective had a grimace flicker across his features as he attempted to warm his ear with a hand, rubbing at it.

"Well…?" Light spoke, as L made no move to.

"What do you think? We found her, of course." He spoke with the same air Light would expect to hear from someone discussing the weather. How accustomed was he to this?

"No hoopla?"

"Your hoopla would be unnecessary, Light. I'm going to fetch our lantern before we proceed." L retrieved the still-glowing lantern from the center and shuffled back over to look over that expanse of brick. After a brief moment of contemplation, a single long finger came to rest on a point of the wall.

"_That_ is where you will start," he resumed, drawing back. His hand returned to a warm pocket eagerly. "I'll let you know when to stop. The keyword being _'stop.'_"

"Clever." Light brought the mallet back up with distaste. "I don't remember seeing 'slave labor' in the job description."

"You neglected to read the fine print. Now, do start."

The bricks were undoubtedly aged, but Light hadn't bet on them withstanding as much force as they did. L made sure to keep his distance as the younger man drew the mallet back again and again, hitting the wall harder each time. The sound of the mallet crashing into the wall echoed throughout the cylindrical interior of the lighthouse up into the pitch-black above them. However, as Light's muscles began to further protest against such late exertions, a small section caved in. He paused to peer into the four inch-wide hole. It wasn't all that satisfying.

He felt L push him aside and hurry to the small penetration. With the lantern raised he peaked inside with a lone eye. It was higher than his hunched form, causing him to have to straighten his back to see properly.

The detective and his wild mop of hair turned from the hole. Light doubted he cared much about the perspiration forming on his brow or the way he held the mallet atop his shoulder as if his arms were no better than noodles. However, it hardly even mattered. L had turned around with a smile on his face.

Light found himself speechless.

Had it not been for the lantern L held at the level of his face, he was sure he would've missed it. All alone in a nameless small-town's lighthouse he could see warmth fill the cold onyx of L's eyes and his smile. It was almost as if –

"Well done, Light."

The lantern returned to L's side leaving him with shadows playing on his face.

A thin hand gripped the mallet's handle and relieved Light of the burden. L went to set it aside against the toolbox and wiped his hand off on his worn jeans. Light's feet remained rooted to the ground, unable to do much else than watch the retreating figure with concealed fascination.

The same hand returned to clutch his limp wrist and lead him up the stairs.

* * *

The smell of saltwater and winter assaulted his cold nose upon being brought into the night. Behind him the massive light of the lighthouse rotated its watchful eye. Almost continually it lit where he stood. Light didn't dare look behind him, avoiding the powerful beam. A few more steps forward and his hand met a metal guardrail. The sea greeted him directly below.

Another soft tug came at his wrist. He hadn't yet become unaware of the cool fingers there and the action sent a jolt through his senses. Light tore his eyes from the dark waters to a large pair of eyes looking up to him. L had crouched down with his back to the lantern room. His own small oil lantern sat forgotten in the watch room below.

Without a word Light took the hint and carefully sat down beside him. L's hand let go of its grip and went directly to rest on a knee. The detective pursed his lips.

Waves exchanged foam on the seashore and plowed into the hillside.

Light pored over the dark waters off in the distance and spoke barely over the sound of the waves, "When will we tell them that she's been found?"

"Some time or another." L struggled to wrap his coat tighter around his lithe body. "Your wristwatch said a scant more than half-past eleven, if my memory serves me."

Silently Light took note of how he sat on L's right. He'd grabbed his left wrist, the one which always bore a watch. He hardly saw any point in checking the time himself. They finished with time to spare. Light released a small sigh of relief.

"So."

"So what?" L retorted. His face now was hidden by the collar of his coat, up to the middle of the bridge of his nose. His voice had a muffled quality.

"You promised to explain your motives for taking on the case. I'd like to know what they are."

"Oh, yes. That." A short silence passed. L's large eyes kept staring off into the sea, seeming almost to reflect its blackness. "There isn't a boat in the waters nor a star in the sky. How sad."

Light licked his dry lips and switched his gaze to the sky. Clouds obscured everything, even the moon. It unsettled him. He'd wanted to see the stars. They never really got a chance to shine over the bright city of Tokyo.

"I'd prepared a lie earlier," L commented. His face remained far-off and unreadable. "I don't like it much now. It went something like, 'this would be a nice intellectual game to break from monotony, a task to test your skills,' and some other drivel. When I caught wind of stories about a haunting, the body of a dead girl not found after over a century…I saw the perfect opportunity to take a peek into the realm of possibilities. I wanted to know what it would be like to work a case with you, what things could be. That is, a case rather than this hokum called the Kira case."

L's hand twitched on his knee, perhaps from the cold.

Light turned his neck to stare at the detective's hunched form. Though he hadn't explicitly said it, it rang all too clear in his head.

L didn't want him to be Kira. He didn't want to hand him over to be tried for incomprehensible amounts of murders. He didn't want him to die. He wanted him to stay sitting at his side and solve impossible crime after impossible crime together. He felt his mouth run dry. He stared unabashed at the lily-white skin of L's face as the lighthouse swept over them with its great beam again.

For months now Light had dedicated himself entirely to the role of Kira. Not a day went by that he did not breathe his mission, his sole duty. Ridding the world of criminals suffocated all other dreams until it was all he had left. When he awoke he was Kira, when he walked to school or the university he was Kira, when he ate lunch he was Kira, when he went home to visit his family he was Kira. And yet in December Light Yagami kissed the silken black hair of L and silently swore to himself he would not smell anything as sweet.

Kira sat on the back burner of his thoughts when he felt L's feathery lips on his neck and those precious nights when he buried his face in his chest. How was it that he chased that ever-fleeting goal of justice as Kira day in and day out, his hands fatigued from the slaughter, when inches away sat something commensurate to his capacity for wonder? How had he for so long chased a dream for so long that would keep receding before him, just as L warned? The greenish glow of the ceiling stars would fade as his eyes drooped and he never once knew that a dream he could touch was in his arms.

He prayed that dream hadn't already passed and that he stood reaching into the air on withering blue grass.

He didn't want L to die.

L shifted his position somewhat and released a soft hum. He flashed his owl-eyes over to gaze at Light.

"_My dainty Ariel_." The wind blew a bit harder, making a few black locks tickle his nose. He scrunched it ever so slightly. "_I shall miss thee; but yet thou shalt have freedom. So, so, so._"

"'Dainty,' huh…" Light mused quietly. He drew his eyes down to look at L's hand instead. "What will you do when your December project is over?"

"Why, you almost sound disappointed to go home. I'm dumbfounded."

"You're deflecting the question."

"Ah. You've found me out. You're getting increasingly good at that." Redness had only furthered in his cheeks and traveled to his nose. He continued, albeit perhaps grudgingly, "There is one event, however, that I scheduled this morning and neglected to tell you about. It's for the thirty-first. Miss Amane will come over to the task force building for a short New Year's Eve party and return to her residence in the evening. I figured it was the least you could do for ignoring the poor woman for these past weeks."

Light pressed his lips together tightly. He couldn't protest, at least not vehemently… A sinking fear settled in the pit of his stomach.

How could he now hope to save L when they would be entering the lion's den? Light couldn't divulge his fears and make L privy to the information that Misa could see his name. Misa would become endangered and Rem…Rem would end it all. Light grabbed feebly for options, turning his clever mind and pulling from all sorts of directions. L couldn't know. He couldn't.

He'd stared at L's hand, trembling with cold, until he'd taxed his already tired mind. He would have to think of something tomorrow. Tomorrow he could come up with some plan. They were hours away from Misa's party and minutes away from having to leave the lighthouse. It would never be this still again. He pushed his dread away with distaste and swallowed his cold fear, if only for a moment.

L felt a startling warmth envelop his hand. Without thinking his own wrapped around it, all too eager to be rid of the feeling of ice water in his veins. His gaze flickered down to the sight in curiosity. He made no effort to escape the grasp. It was delicate and he fretted that the slightest movement would break the bond entirely.

And then he raised his gaze to look at Light's face. Amber eyes stared directly into him closer than he thought possible. L felt the grip on his hand tighten just slightly. They met so near that their breaths embraced together. The world turned darker as he allowed his lids to drop and Light's lips just barely hovered over his own. He could no longer hear the waves or the wind in his ears.

L drew in a sharp breath as the hand retreated and Light's face turned away sharply. At once he opened his eyes to stare at the man in confusion when a new sound met his ears. Feet traveled up the metal stairway of the lighthouse and the aged door to where they sat creaked open. They were the footsteps of a man well into old age.

They both directed their attention to the door as Ashitaka and their lantern came into view. A new distance had developed between their seated forms. He held his lantern before him with a gloved hand and spotted them despite the scarf wrapped 'round his aged face.

He spoke loudly against the wind, voice distorted from his scarf, "I figured you'd end up here. It's well-past midnight, so I thought I'd check in. Any luck?"

"Yes," L managed to reply. His voice was as uninterested as ever in spite of the interruption. "She's behind the brick in the ground floor of the lighthouse. We made a small hole for other investigators or what have you to start on, should you care to get her a proper grave. We filled our quota."

Ashitaka stared in astonishment at the two men but the silent praise hardly settled with Light. L took out his phone to call Watari and would ride home in silence.


	30. Enormous Changes at the Last Minute

Here we are again. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love you all. :D Newbies, people who've stuck around from the start...I read each and every review you guys send and your feedback is the best thing since sliced bread. No joke. Continue to tell me what you think! I'll be needing a super boost because I want to get the 31st and New Year's done as soon as I can. They're the stuff everything's been leading up to and lots of loose ends will be tied up, so stay tuned! Oh, and I've determined there will indeed be an Epilogue.

Stuff generally listened to was the ficmix for his. I separated January 31 songs from what's on 8tracks so you can listen without fear of spoilers. That stuff will get its own playlist posted whenever the 31st gets put up.

There will be a brief author's note at the bottom.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

December 30**  
Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute**

* * *

7:15 AM.

Light sighed.

Certainly, it was later than L usually roused him from his slumbers – out of boredom, he was sure – but he wasn't at all eager to face the day. Having holidays day after day made one painfully aware of the days of the month. It wasn't like summer vacation when Light scarcely cared to know if it was Monday or Tuesday. They all blended together anyway.

48 hours.

2,880 minutes.

It made him want to bury his face back into the pillow and sleep through it, rather than face it. He still felt drowsy and L hadn't bothered to take his attention away from his infernal laptop. He was typing furiously on the thing, which Light supposed had woken him in the first place. The man could probably type as fast on the keyboard as he could play the piano.

And at seven in the morning L refused to be pianissimo.

December wouldn't allow the sun to arrive any time soon so Light fumbled for the light switch on his lamp. He glanced at L as he brought himself into a sitting position. The detective's eyes were far-off, probably not even focused on the screen, with an absolutely unreadable expression. While L remained absorbed in his own thoughts, Light went ahead and began brushing his flattened auburn hair.

That teddy bear stared at him from across the room with black button eyes. His face fell as he realized he'd nearly forgotten the thing those past few days. It sat in a generally unused corner in a chair by itself. It had occurred to him before that the bear was probably the first stuffed animal he'd received in years. People knew him well enough to figure that Light Yagami had no use for something so juvenile. He fancied useful things instead, like ties or wristwatches. Those were the sorts of gifts he got on birthdays or Christmas. That is, until L.

All it could do was sit and stare vacantly, as it was doing now. The only purpose it held was to occupy space. It couldn't tell the time and he couldn't wear it every day; it didn't really _do_ anything. Yet somehow that was why he liked it. The bear was pleasant to look at and its fur was soft like velvet. It reminded him of childhood, like the whiff of Play-Doh or the feel of gritty sand from the playground. L had given him his boyhood memories in a teddy bear when he couldn't bear to remember his own.

He'd stopped brushing his hair and slid off of the bed. L's fingers drew away from the keys and it left the room oddly quiet.

"Light."

Light switched his attention to the now-alert man.

"L." He let a hand rest on the foot of the mattress. The sheets were rumpled from sleep. "Don't tell me you lodged another brush in your hair."

"Hilarious." L's mouth didn't even twitch upwards. He looked tired; it showed in his dark eyes. "But no."

L never explained what he did those late nights on his laptop. The tight-lipped detective ignored his inquiries for the most part, only answering vaguely that he did "Kira research." Despite his silence on the matter, Light saw glimpses into L's eyes that he suspected went unnoticed by the man. Each morning Light would crack open his bleary eyes, still not fully out of the tiring weights of sleep, and see L slowly age. Light only saw it in those blackest of eyes.

L worked without end but when the sun crept over the horizon and just enough light poured into the room that Light could scarcely discern his waking dreams from reality, he saw it.

Light did not flinch and kept their gaze locked. It wasn't there, not now.

"Is there something important you – "

"Yes," L curtly said. His voice hadn't risen. A hand moved to tilt down the screen of his humming laptop almost to a close. The detective contemplated the stitching on the comforter a moment.

L's heavy stare returned to Light.

He'd forgotten again how dark those bags were beneath L's eyes.

"I know you were on your way to the restroom, but I've been wanting to disclose with you the details for today's holiday as soon as I could. It is, perhaps, the most difficult."

Light raised a brow, confused. "You could've told me when I was brushing my hair a few moments ago rather than now, of all times."

"That's irrelevant. I won't take up much of your time, though." He absently toyed with the hem of his sleeve, but otherwise stayed motionless where he sat. "Today is _The Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute_. Your goal is, to put it simply, this: by eleven fifty-nine tonight you will share one statement with me. I will do the same for you. However, there is a catch. It has to change _something_. I don't want to place any stricter guidelines on this…as it's entirely up to your interpretation. You have until then to decide."

Light's feet nearly carried him to the bathroom, but he kept them rooted. L already began to make his move for his "spot" outside of the bathroom door, paying no heed to his motionless form.

"L, could you _at least_ elaborate on 'something.'"

The detective felt the texture of the carpet beneath his toes, half sitting on the mattress and half standing.

"Hmmm…" L hummed. He put on a half-hearted show of being rapt in fascination over the carpet fibers. "'Something' in that sense. It is, but not limited to, opinions, events, plans, feelings, notions, situations, or, if you so choose, this floor's feng shui. I'm not particularly picky today."

In a moment's time L crouched stationed beside the bathroom door playing Tetris on his phone. Light shut it behind him and turned on the florescent bulbs.

* * *

Light had walked past the sink. Untouched were his toothbrush, the medicine cabinet, his face wash, and his razor. He gently closed the toilet lid and sat upon it. Faint sounds from L's phone traveled through the crack beneath the door and whispered in his ears.

This was his only chance to sort out things without being put under a microscope. Spending more than ten minutes would make L suspicious, and yet he would have to make it enough.

Water dripped from the showerhead like lone drops of rain.

Remembering the cold tile against the bare skin of his feet brought him back to his senses.

There was L, and there was Kira.

_Less _than 48 hours.

L wanted to capture Kira because what he did was _evil_. The memory of the word coming from L's lips felt bitter in his mouth. L breathed to catch criminals like Kira. He would crouch in a chair and work on his computer as if the devil were on his heels, popping sugar cubes into his mouth and slurping down anything caffeinated endlessly. He would relinquish his own safe hermit lifestyle to study a man who could very well kill him if he allowed the slightest slip. L resolved himself to catching Kira at any cost.

Too many had died.

He'd never seen L smile, not until yesterday. It reminded him of a child. A child that, perhaps, donned the suit of a man far too quickly and couldn't quite find the zipper. L had let some things slip through, but _why?_

To let one's guard down, Light reasoned, was to signal that one felt safety. What reason though could L possibly have to feel _safe_ around him? Day in and day out L was sure to remind him that he suspected him despite Light's vehement and consistent denial of the claim (if the chain wasn't enough of a reminder). The smile couldn't have been false; he'd familiarized himself with some of the contents of L's bag of tricks and it hadn't been one of them. Not even god knew why, but things had evolved far past what he could've classified as merely a ploy, a trap.

Kisses still burned on his skin. Light settled his head onto the palms of his hands.

Things were all too real. He wanted L more than he ever wanted anything else.

Kira.

Light pursed his lips into a thin line.

It was never a choice of whether or not he wanted to continue being Kira anymore. His own desires had little effect on how he would proceed. "Quitting" the Kira business altogether would mean boring Ryuk. With that his name would be written down and he would die. So, he had to find some way of appeasing L while still being Kira. One wrong move and everything would be gone. Prison would result in Ryuk's displeasure, killing him. Ceasing judgment, his own desires aside, would have the same ending.

L would return to his glowing screen and eat sweets while the hour hand ran laps and he would continue to grow old. Only this time there would be more shadows beneath the bed in which he never slept.

Then there was Rem. Or rather, Misa.

Rem would not kill L unless he gave the order – god, he didn't want to give that order. Misa had those damned eyes, as useful as they were. That is, when L hadn't mattered. Sometime at the party he'd have to find a way to speak to her. She would risk her own life to do things she thought would please him. He'd written her that note months ago, buried under the ground with a Death Note, requesting her to remember the name she'd seen floating above L's head when she'd first had the eyes. Light knew Misa well enough to know that she would not pass up the opportunity again. She would do anything for him because she loved him.

How could he keep her happy and still have L? He shuddered to imagine the scenario of breaking up with the bubbly model. Misa would be enraged or heartbroken or depressed or any combination of terrible resulting emotions and he would have to face Rem. Rem had never liked him and would have no problem with writing his name down, as would Ryuk.

Things had been so much simpler when he'd just _hated_ L. Without realizing it, he'd probably known about the tormenting high-wire act that wanting L to live entailed all along. Hate was so much easier.

For anything to work he'd have to take another chance. If he went through the next two days passively, L would die. What would become of him if he just _let_ that happen?

There was no one like L. His hair was a mess but his fingers tingled remembering how it felt to run them through those locks. His mouth could conjure insults and Shakespeare for any occasion and he knew he could never tire of kissing him. There could never be another to forever remain a mystery to him and yet be so similar. L was a jigsaw puzzle – there were pieces of varying hues and designs he would always convince himself could fit together but never would – that he'd not ever tire of.

There wouldn't be any more challenges after L. Or if there were, they would never be as great. He'd use Misa when necessary and return to an empty bed at night, reaching for black silken hair but only touching air.

So another wager it was. Everything would be risked for L.

Light glanced at the hands on his wristwatch and saw that his ten minutes he'd assigned himself were nearly up. He went through the motions of preparing himself for the day; the toilet flushed for his camouflage. Light couldn't exactly figure why he bothered to check his mask in the mirror before he left. They never really worked around L anyway.

At 11:59 PM he would take his chance.

Light grasped the knob and opened the door, flicking the lights back off in the bathroom.

* * *

They sat side by side at the kitchen table, waiting as the seconds on the wall clock ticked away. L busied himself with the ever-present sugar cube bowl. He handled the cubes with the steadiness of a surgeon, stacking one atop the other; though, of course, not every one of them evaded his stomach. Each new addition to his latest structure, whether it be skyscraper or pyramid, caused small tinkling sounds on the chain. Light stared listlessly at the pepper shaker. And such were their mornings waiting for the arrival of Watari and breakfast.

A cube was tossed into L's waiting mouth. He spoke around it as it gradually dissolved in saliva.

"Light appears to be particularly interested in the pepper. I regret to inform you that it won't go very well with your breakfast." He licked the sugar dust that had formed on his fingertips and another cube joined the first, crunched into microscopic pieces.

Nevertheless, Light still stared at the shaker. He said with an air of indifference, "Something sweet, then. Not surprising."

"Well, I'm sure Light's coffee will balance out the sweetness of his breakfast; it's horridly bitter." It sounded as if L had sipped Light's coffee himself with how laced with disgust his words had been. And yet L still appeared perfectly neutral.

Only if Light became a gambling man could he envy L's poker face more than he did already.

He sighed and adjusted the metal cuff on his wrist.

"How long could you even manage without sugar or caffeine? I suspect there's more of those things in your veins than actual blood."

L glanced over but Light still appeared to be totally absorbed in staring down the pepper. He, however, went back to snacking on his sugar cubes and hardly seemed concerned. A leaning tower of sugar was becoming more challenging than he'd imagined. He kept his eyes on the precarious state of the wobbling structure.

"A day or so, perhaps. I just grow more and more irritable as time stretches on. Are you cataloging different ways to torture me, perhaps?"

Finally Light brought his gaze over to L and his rapidly growing saccharine civilization. L built and Kira destroyed. The cuff began itching on his wrist again and he fought the urge to readjust it.

"Hardly," he replied at length. "Once I may have, but I'm starting to suspect that I'm developing Stockholm Syndrome…"

"Because Light is so easily influenced. You'd give Ingsoc a run for their money…" A small frown settled on L's face as the leaning tower continued to lean further to one side and toppled. The cubes scattered everywhere, from the cold kitchen floor to Light's beloved pepper shaker. He examined a floor-cube for grime and germs and continued, "On second thought, you'd probably weasel your way into a very comfortable place in the party. You're very skilled with people."

"Well, 1984 has long since passed. I guess I missed my golden opportunity." Light flicked a stray cube back to L, managing to avoid destroying the surviving buildings. "Just think, I'd be there with the bigwigs sipping champagne or wine or whatever it was they had –"

" –instead of your _victory coffee_," L finished.

"As if your sugar with coffee is any better."

"Actually, I've been trying stevia with my coffee lately. You've probably never heard of it."

Light shot an annoyed look. "I don't live under a rock, _L._ People are using it to replace sugar as a sweetener."

"No need to be so huffy. I just never expected you to be a glucose connoisseur."

A knock sounded on the door scarcely after L managed to finish his sentence and in came Watari. He pushed the familiar food cart into the kitchen, the thing usually filled to its limit with sweets and pastries with the occasional fruit. Now it presented to their table two proud milkshakes adorned with mountains of whipped cream and bright red cherries on top. L's eyes brightened considerably while Light's posture deflated.

Watari set the clearly strawberry flavored one before the eager detective while Light received what he assumed was vanilla. The whole dessert was entirely white except for that red cherry. Watari took his leave without a word while Light plucked the fruit from his "breakfast" and dangled it a few inches from his face. Whipped cream clung to its skin and had already begun to liquefy.

L did notice Light's overall disinterest in his vanilla milkshake, but his own strawberry one snatched whatever hopes Light may have had of getting any of his attention as soon as it met his lips. In the blink of an eye he devoured the ornamental cherry and followed suit with the rest of his meal. Light, meanwhile, still held his cherry by its stem between two fingers , the others curled gently towards his palm. Perhaps when he woke from his reverie, L wondered, he would have discovered the answer to the energy crisis. He could understand inspiration from a maraschino cherry.

L's spoon scraped against the sides of the glass and moisture began to fall in tears down the sides. The vanilla milkshake remained practically untouched. He gulped down the remains of strawberry liquid with satisfaction and had started to reach for a delicately folded napkin when he noticed something enter his realm of vision. Frozen, he turned his head and saw Light's cherry held before him. The tiny fruit now rested in the palm of his hand.

"You can have it," Light said, finally. His milkshake had already melted slightly.

"Oh?"

L cursed himself for not thinking of anything possibly better than "oh," but it would do well enough. He stared still wide-eyed at the thing, unsure if it was or wasn't a figment of his imagination. It would be a cruel trick for his mind to play indeed.

Light lengthened the reach of his arm a few more inches to further confirm the offer. "Yes. You like these things more than I do."

Without a word L's pale fingers picked the cherry from Light's hand, ghosting the surface of his warm palm. He examined it briefly like Light had, as if it was the single most precious thing he'd been given. But it quickly found his lips and he chewed the fruit slower than he had the last. He could taste the lingering drops of whipped cream with cherry juice and completely forgot how his own milkshake had tasted.

Light brought his own gaze back to his neglected milkshake and gathered a spoonful of the mostly melted dessert.

* * *

The tree's time was up.

L suggested they work on taking down the Christmas tree in the living room. Or in other words, L more than likely just wanted to gorge himself on its candy. Really, it didn't matter to Light as long as he didn't sit around for the remainder of the day idly until that fated minute before midnight. He caught himself now and again glancing at the time on his wristwatch; it had become so much of a habit. Each slip created a weight in his chest.

An hour passed and he'd hardly noticed.

It created a small fear, deep down and hiding in his stomach. He felt it gnaw on his insides like the first pangs of hunger and quickly pushed it aside. Losing his composure would spell the end, feeding that fear with his anxieties. Light Yagami had no anxieties.

He took in a full, steady breath and released it silently.

Light stood in front of the tree, just now aware of the simple round ornaments that had joined the dangling mittens. At one point or another they'd come to be, probably because of Watari, but he'd never noticed until now. His face probably had only a foot at best between a shiny red one, like a finely polished apple. They were only in greens and reds and as his hand went forward to pluck that very one from the tree to be put away he caught something in its distorted reflection. L's face, stretched at the sides, peered from behind him. His eyes were as black as ever and the sudden image nearly startled him. Nearly.

He calmly set the red ornament into the basket on his arm and reached for another. L hadn't been looking at him through the ornament. His vision had been focused a little more up and to the right, where there just so happened to be a plump mitten. A foil-wrapped Santa winked from over the top.

In the blink of an eye the mitten with the chocolate Santa disappeared to join the other candy-filled mittens on the couch. L perched beside his pile of goodies with just enough length on the chain to spare. He pulled the ends of the wrapper of a caramel square and let the candy drop into his waiting mouth. Wrappers already began to litter the floor around the couch. And L appeared to care less about the mess.

But there were still some of the more 'traditional' ornaments left to take down. Light reached for a smaller one, a light mint green.

He set it into the basket with the others and spoke over his shoulder to the other man, "This was the first Christmas I had that didn't include just my own family of four." L only hummed in response, chomping still on the particularly difficult piece of caramel. Light continued, "What have your past Christmases been like?"

Not without effort L managed to finish chewing and swallowed his candy. Light could hear the ruffle of wrappers as L already reached for another morsel. His stomach had no limits.

"Not terribly eventful." The detective bit the head off of a Santa chocolate. What would have been silence was occupied by the sound of L pulling down the foil wrapper to the level which he deemed appropriate for continued consumption. "My Christmases have been, as of late, a few festive cookies and eggnog with Watari; occasionally by myself. Holidays do not have precedent over my work, however. At least until presently."

"So this year now that you have to give the day some attention, you make up for your past lack of hoopla?" Light ventured, reaching for one of the last dangling ornaments. He nearly had to get on his toes to get the damned thing.

"Light is always consistent with his questioning my capacity for hoopla. It's getting rather strange. But," he said with a pause, contemplating a tightly wrapped lollipop, "I suppose you can look at it that way. I haven't had a real Christmas – or at least one remotely resembling your family's rendition – since I was eight."

Light's hand had made its way to the dastardly ornament (_finally_) but stopped. The number struck a chord in his mind very quickly and abruptly.

Eight.

L was in his twenties. Suppose he was barely in his twenties, at the age of twenty years exactly. He had gone a minimum of twelve years without "Christmas." While Light was sure even in childhood L was certain to have figured out Santa Claus sooner than his peers…

Eight…

Light's mind came to a screeching halt.

L told him he had been eight years old when his mother passed away. His mother was his last surviving parent, his last relative. Orphanages from eight to eleven. Then L, the detective.

Everything had ended at eight.

There were no more Christmases. How could there have been? At Christmas you received gifts from your parents or, when you were young, under the pseudonym of Santa. Then there were friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, siblings, best friends… You would spend the holiday with them, maybe adhere to some kind of tradition, but at least _do_ something. None of that existed anymore the year L turned eight.

A holiday Light merely took for granted barely existed for L for well over a decade. All of the things he couldn't have done at nine, ten, eleven, twelve, and on – setting out cookies, a note for Santa, reindeer food, mistletoe, gifts – he had finally done with Light. He'd tried desperately to make up for too many lost years in one Christmas with Light, the very person he knew would be his murderer.

With hardly a second gone by the ornament joined the others in the basket. Light set it down, done with his task. He drew his eyes over to where L sat. Just as he tried to grasp for words the man unveiled a lollipop and spoke.

"I rather liked this Christmas, though." He gave the bright pink lollipop a thoughtful lick, sampling its flavor. "The variety in the Yagami household and its level of festiveness was enjoyable. Refreshing. Oh, and by the way, I may have to talk your father into divorcing so I can marry Sachiko-san."

"…wait. _What?_"

He peered over his candy as if the answer was too obvious. "Her baking is heavenly. Though it would be unfortunate to have to be your step-father, I will admit…" He frowned at the thought and brought the lollipop back to his mouth, as if to alleviate the problem.

Light released a sigh. "You enjoy statements with good shock-value too much." The chain turned more lax as he went to take a seat on the other side of the plush couch. L's candy pile sat in between them on the center cushion, dividing the couch in half. Light fished out a stray wrapper that had wedged itself in the piece of furniture. Reading the label for a short moment – butterscotch – he tossed it aside and returned his attention to L.

"I'll have you know I can cook and bake just as well as she can." He crossed his legs, dignified even when doing the most common of actions, and continued, "No need to tear apart a household."

L stared at the younger man, lollipop dangling from his mouth. Ever so slightly he tilted his head to the side.

"Interesting." The lollipop shifted its position in his mouth so he could better speak around it. "You almost sound threatened by the idea. Tell me, would you prefer to take her place?"

"Whatever. Again, you're not serious."

"Oh? You can tell so easily? Even so, I can hardly believe your claims of baking prowess. I've witnessed it firsthand. Your oatmeal muffins were nothing short of depressing." L's teeth crunched up whatever was left of the lollipop and tossed the stick over his shoulder, no longer having a use for it. He briefly licked his lips for any remnants of sticky sugar.

Light shifted his position to better face him, knee nearly creating a dint in L's miniature candy mountain. The almost-catastrophe went unnoticed by L, however. His stare remained fixed on the auburn-haired man.

"That's not even a fair representation. I was distracted, a _rare_ occurrence. Even my mother admitted once that my cream puffs are more exceptional than hers." A smirk tugged at one side of his mouth.

Sure enough, L's eyes subtlety widened. "Truly? Could you back up such a claim if put to the test?"

The glimmer of hope in L's eyes didn't go unnoticed by Light. It only convinced him to not bother fighting the smirk that had been threatening to spread across his face. When you managed to impress L, Light learned, it was not an opportunity to be passed up.

"Perhaps," Light drawled.

"I could have acquired whatever ingredients you deem necessary…"

"I'm sure you could, but I'll prove my 'prowess' some other time. You already ate enough candy to make a normal person sick, and I'm sure you're not even finished. Maybe during a time when Watari serves tea…"

L moved closer to his candy pile, as if to better discern what he felt like devouring next. He still peered at Light with curiosity, as if taking into account whatever subtle movements he could pick up. Light's eye caught a candy or two slide off onto the floor as L rummaged, attention diverted to the moving objects. Their brightly colored foils reflected light as they fell.

"Light is being unusually pleasant today. Sharing, offering to bake sweets… I almost feel as if you're an assassin in disguise, dragging me into a false sense of security with pleasant lies." He pulled out a red gumdrop and examined it as he spoke only to later drop it back into the rest of the various candies. "Are you?"

Light cocked an eyebrow. "Thanks, I guess, but I'm not exactly –"

And before Light could ever hope to finish his sentence a pair of lips silenced him. L leaned precariously over the pile between them, a hand gripping the back of the couch to keep from falling. Despite his efforts to clean them of the saccharine coating they'd developed the taste lingered on Light's mouth, though the warm lips quickly retreated as did L's form. His eyes had barely gotten the time to close, having expected far more than the brief taste L afforded him, and were half-lidded.

He stared with confusion, albeit weakly, at the raven-haired detective.

With an air of nonchalance, L said, "Well, I'll be leaving my candies here to get my lap top. I have to attend to the emails I've accumulated in my inbox this morning."

Sure enough, he stretched his legs from the couch and his bare feet hit the floor, not bothering to fix the rumpled state his clothes acquired from sitting on the couch. He'd nearly passed Light's sitting form and reached where the coffee table ended when the chain ended with a rough jerk. L began to look over his shoulder but his body became pulled backward and onto a previously stunned young man. He struggled – and nearly failed – to keep a surprised sound from bubbling from his throat.

His chest collided with Light's and found himself gazing directly into a pair of molten amber eyes. L's laptop became the absolute _last_ thing on his mind as Light's grip let go of the length of chain completely and an arm snaked its way across his back, the movement causing him to shiver. A hand trailed up his cheek and buried itself in his hair. His body felt electrified by touch, the radiating warmth, and those eyes. Light had him held captive not with the chain, but with a single look.

Light pulled him closer against his body, closer than he ever thought possible, not breaking the gaze until he tilted L's head to the side ever so slightly and kissed him. L hardly needed to be coaxed into parting his lips, allowing Light to entering his mouth with a hungry tongue. His long fingers finally came to life and clutched tightly to Light's shirt, mind growing fuzzy. Fingertips moved across his scalp as Light continued tasting him, continued holding onto his slender body as if he would never want to do anything else.

* * *

The snow couldn't always fall, and yet for hours large snowflakes drifted past the windows like bits of lace. L stared out with his nose inches from the glass, eyes nearly reflected in it. He kept his breaths shallow as to not fog the glass. Light flipped through the channels on the bedroom television some feet away.

The snowstorm would end just as December would. Flakes hit the ground almost as if grains of sand in an hourglass. He felt cold in his own skin.

But each one that drifted pass was lovely. L couldn't tear himself away from the sight. The wind would sigh, disrupting their calm descent, and blow them in swirls or against the glass. With one pale finger he would press against where the snowflake had stuck. Cold seeped into his skin from outside while his own feeble heat melted the fragile flake. Destroying it had been far too easy; he had never intended to do it. Just as his he moved his hand to touch where another had been he stopped. A lone, unbroken snowflake clung to the glass just above his eyes. He had never seen one so perfect.

And before he could blink the wind let out another long sigh and the snowflake had gone. L let his hand drop to his side.

Would he have chased after it, even as it mixed itself in all of the other countless flakes? Would there have ever been another as lovely, worth trudging through and breaking the ones beneath his feet? But if he ever did find it again, would he only melt it in his hands?

Several hundred feet down a snowplow labored through the streets. Large piles of snow formed on either side and were blackened with grime. Light's snowflake would have been perfect.

Something set itself on L's shoulders and he turned around in confusion. His searching eyes took in the form of Light standing behind him, regarding him with a sense of peculiarity. He felt a shiver wrack his frame. When he reached to touch his shoulder he felt the cotton of a thick blanket.

Just as he drew in a breath to question Light's odd behavior the man stepped around him and closed the open window. He could feel snowflakes melt in his hair and he made and attempt to brush them out as best as he could. L never could remember when he chose to open the window in the first place but he drew the blanket around his body tighter.

Light wiped his damp hands off on his pants and said, "Honestly I can't figure how you've lasted so many winters."

"Hmm." L stared down at his feet. "The blanket is appreciated."

"No problem."

He picked back up the remote he'd set down on the nightstand and switched to the next channel. When Light had returned to the side of the bed he commonly occupied L shuffled to the empty spot beside him. The blanket had been pulled over his head like a hood and covered all but his face. Strands of hair poked out here and there like crow feathers. His eyes remained steadily forward and stared more past the television than at it.

Like clockwork Light would go forward a channel every ten seconds. The activity interested him more than whatever any channel had to say and L did not complain. It wasn't until a good fifteen minutes of mindless channel surfing did something catch his attention. He lowered the remote slowly and let it rest on the comforter.

"_Yes, in only two days the New Year will be upon us and one question is in everyone's minds: how many will be punished by the mass-murderer Kira, still at large? While Kira has given an opportunity to regular criminals to evade his supposed New Year's judgment, there has been little decrease in the crime rate. Police figures estimate that numbers will have in fact been unchanged compared to holiday seasons in the past. Some felonies have even been said to be done to spite Kira's promise such as…"_

L remained still beside him. He couldn't bring himself to pick back up the remote control and change the channel to anything else. The news sickened him. Light felt in him the purpose that had driven him as Kira claw on his insides and he wanted desperately to fix the atrocities before his eyes. But as soon as he glanced to L's figure off to his side, knees drawn tightly against his chest, he sickened himself a bit instead. If he were a monster, if he were still fully Kira, would he have killed L by now?

He thought of his duty and the soft feel of L's lily-white skin and felt tormented.

The channel switched. A nature documentary.

Light looked at his own hands and saw they were empty. A hand had made its way out of L's blanket cocoon and snatched up the remote. In what light there was in the room he could see blue veins against the flesh of L's turned arm. Deciding that the documentary on three-toed sloths was satisfactory, the detective dropped the remote back onto the bed, swiftly brought his arm back into the warmth of his blanket, and moved over slightly to rest his hooded head on Light's right shoulder.

* * *

To say that Light was anxious would've been putting it lightly.

There were fifteen minutes until midnight and there he was, standing in the middle of the kitchen twiddling his thumbs while L worked at procuring a hefty slice of cake from the fridge. Only until a generous amount of chocolate syrup and whipped cream had been added – with a side of ice cream – did the detective abandon the kitchen to meander elsewhere.

Light checked his watch again. Thirteen minutes.

He followed L down the hall, past the living room, bedroom, closet… With the cake platter held ever so carefully in one hand L opened the door to the main hallway of their floor, off in the direction of the elevator. Puzzled, Light shut the door behind him and caught back up. Once inside the elevator its doors closed silently. L pushed the button for the basement floor and used the same hand to pick up the fork resting on his plate.

Standing up in an elevator twelve minutes to midnight L was eating cake. Five floors down and he'd already eaten a sizeable chunk, not a spot of whipped cream or chocolate on his face. His chewing and the sounds of the fork hitting the plate were the only sounds until Light decided he would go mad; he could only check his watch so many times in one minute.

"L, why are we going to the basement floor?" He fixed his gaze on the elevator's changing numbers above his head as they continued to descend. "I thought it would be more convenient and reasonable to just sit on the couch or something."

Fork dangling from his mouth, L responded, "Perhaps." The piece of silverware went and gathered some more cake and L watched it with interest. As he gathered some of the chocolate sauce that had fallen off of the sides of his dessert, he continued, "What I have in mind is more suited to our purposes, however."

Light released a shallow sigh. His gaze flickered to L. "And our purposes require that you consume a fourth of a devil's food cake?"

"With ice cream, Light."

"Of course," he said dryly.

There were seven minutes until midnight and the elevator finally came to a stop at the basement floor. L set his now-empty plate on the floor of the elevator and walked off into the dark. Light followed with some hesitation, trying hopelessly to make out figures in the blackness. The underground night was temporary, though, as L flicked a switch which caused several ceiling lights winked on. Around them stood not quite a dozen different cars but each as luxurious as the last. Off to one side was the familiar limousine in which Watari had driven them, coal-black and shining under the lights. L did not walk towards it, however.

To the left some ways away from the limousine sat a sleek slate grey sports car. L shuffled toward it and upon actually being able to touch the thing Light glanced down to check the manufacturer, as he'd not seen the symbol on the streets that he could remember and the far-off letters weren't kanji. An _Aston Martin_…

L stuck a hand into one of his deep jean's pockets and fished out a set of car keys. With a considerable beep and a flash from the headlights the car unlocked. He went to open the passenger door and crawled inside, the chain tinkling against the metal of the car. Light went to peer in the door to find out what the detective could be doing and he felt a tug at his wrist. There in the driver's seat, legs drawn to his chest and practically against the steering wheel, sat L. A length of chain rested in his hands and he gave another pull. Light grabbed at the frame to keep from losing his balance.

"Please take the hint and come in, Light," L spoke. He'd not put the keys in the ignition and could only be seen by the lights in the ceiling above them. "We're not going anywhere, rest assured."

Wordlessly Light complied and sat down on the fine leather seats. He pulled the door behind him closed and almost immediately he heard a soft click. Eyebrows furrowed, he turned back around to look at the door. It was locked.

"One," L began, calmly examining the keys in his hands, "I wanted to make sure we could find a place where no interruptions would be assured. I did not tell Watari we would be here, nor anyone else. Two, while the locked doors may seem a tad suspicious I figured it would be the best way to keep the both of us from backing out of the situation. Three, I purchased this car recently and thought it would be a good opportunity to finally examine it and its interior. And finally, we are nearly one minute to midnight."

Light leaned his head back onto the seat, staring at the car's ceiling. "And where could I run, exactly?"

"Oh, not far. That aside, though, could you hold your wrist out above the general area of the stick shift? I would like to keep a better watch on the time."

A quick and momentary fear ran across Light's mind – the scrap of Death Note – but he kept it from reaching his face and eyes. Unless L fiddled with the thing there would be no worries, and the possibility was highly unlikely… He complied with L's request and checked the time himself. Two minutes. 11:57 PM.

Both men watched the second hand flit across the watch's face for several seconds in silence. The keys L had held sat alone on the dash, chin partially on his knees.

Still keeping an eye on the time, as if finally feeling the weight of the situation he spoke a bit softly than he had before, "You have a very nice watch, Light. Did your father give it to you?"

"Yeah. He did." Light felt himself draw in a muted breath. 11:58 PM. His nerves began to take hold and he tried to make a feeble joke. "If I ever die in a freak accident I'll be sure you get it in my will."

L's mouth remained straight as he continued to regard the second hand's path. He didn't respond.

It drew closer and closer to the twelve and Light could feel his heart quicken. He would have to follow through. No matter what L chose to say, to reveal, he couldn't change his mind and make up something else to tell. Perhaps L didn't laugh because he felt the same consuming anxiety, or perhaps it was because he had known that Light's promise meant nothing. He thought he would die before Light and he could see the seconds of his life disappear. Light felt a growing weight in his stomach.

The last five seconds ticked by somehow slower than all of the last. He felt them more than when the school clock was about to signal his release, when sleep would not come one night, and when he had written down Higuchi's name. It took every ounce of his self control to keep his suspended wrist steady.

He drew in an uneven breath and the second hand reached the twelve. Light broke his attention from the clock to look up at L but found that his two deep black eyes were already staring into him.

"I'm –"

"I love you."

* * *

**A/N:** Chapter 31 immediately picks up from this point, don't worry. Chapters for December 31st and January 1st will hopefully be up in not too terribly long and will be posted a couple of days apart from each other. I don't want to torture everyone _too_ much... You'll see what I mean. ;)

The exact car mentioned is a 2001 Aston Martin V-12 Vanquish. It's an English automotive company.


	31. Unlucky and New Year's Eve

Hello everyone! This chapter has been a long time coming, I know. It was an overwhelming semester in more ways than one. My plan had been to not upload the 31st until done or nearly done with January 1st, and so I went straight to work on HH as soon as Christmas vacation began. So here's a gift from me to you! :)

However, I must stress that _you should read the author's note at the bottom of the chapter_. Important stuff.

I'd suggest reading the ending portion of the previous chapter (30), as the scene is a direct pick-up from that point.

The songs that most heavily influenced the chapter were:**  
**_Prelude for piano No. 6 in B minor_ by Chopin  
_Prelude for piano No. 2 in A minor_ by Chopin  
_Ponponpon_ by Kyarypamyupamyu

Ponponpon was essentially the kind of music played at the New Year's party. A ficmix of these songs and more for this chapter in particular will be up sometime today. Check my profile for the link if you'd like to listen.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

_December 31**  
**_**Unlucky Day and New Year's Eve**_**  
**_

* * *

Light stopped in the middle of his voice and stared.

His mind ran through the three simple words rapidly; interpreting, decoding, analyzing, _anything_ that could make it sound real. He had hesitated and L had beaten him to the punch, said it too quickly. By only the second word the plan he'd prepared and the breath in his lungs had halted at once. He couldn't hear anything in the insulated car except for the crescendo of his heart pounding in his ears.

L loved him.

His hand stilled absolutely over the stick shift and he supposed his watch was still ticking. All he found himself capable of was staring dumbly at L without a single thought in his head except for that L loved him. L's voice shattering the silence nearly made him wince.

"I have to apologize, Light," he spoke, volume somewhere between conversational and a whisper. His eyes were changeless. "I can't allow you to say whatever it is you were planning to tell me. Or rather, what you've been deciding to tell me now."

Discreetly as he could manage he took in a shallow breath. The silence in the car became painfully apparent, though. Despite the fact that he could barely even put together any single coherent sentence Light prepared himself for any sort of protest he could manage.

But again L's quick tongue silenced him. His ability to interrupt was indeed uncanny.

"Don't attempt to, please." L's eyes flitted to Light's still-hovering arm and gently lowered it. He drew his own pale hands back to rest atop his knees. "While I do feel guilt for having kept you from what you had begun to say it would be at this point…imprudent. You are a born liar, Light. Getting the chance to speak second would only give you the opportunity to twist whatever you had in mind, or alter it entirely, to suit the situation. Undoubtedly you could say it with the highest of sincerity. However, as nice of a lie it would have been… I'm afraid that would be the singular lie I could not bear to hear from you."

He drew his large, black eyes back to Light's. Light thought he could see a sort of sadness in them.

"Even if you tried to, you wouldn't mean it. Not really," he added, a bit more softly as if murmuring to himself.

A weight filled Light's chest and L let his feet drop from the cushion of the driver's seat to the car floor. He shifted his body so that it faced Light. Another brief silence fell and it rang in Light's ears.

"My own reasoning aside, I suppose you couldn't even say it anyway at this point in time."

Confused, Light took a look at the watch weighing down his wrist to the armrest between them.

12:02 AM.

"Oh…" Light managed. He hardly even recognized his own voice with how feebly he'd spoken.

"So now comes the matter of the next holiday. Care to hear it?"

Even though it sounded like the absolute _least_ important thing, Light mutely nodded.

"Apart from the ever-obvious New Year's Eve, December thirty-first is also recognized as _Unlucky Day_." L ran his finger along some of the seams of the leather in the car absently. "I'll admit the first thing to come to my mind had been gambling as luck runs rather low in that sort of thing, but I found that seeking out a casino won't be at all necessary.

"Luck, or fortune, is most often the bad variety. This is especially true in terms of classical mythology. Usually, things like fortune and fate would go together in pairs. Fate decreed that a man had to search for a new land to found a city of his own, but fortune tossed him about the seas for years and he faced the sleepless wrath of a goddess. While we can read about those sorts of things from poets…I lack the ability to see what hand fate has dealt either of us, granted there is such a force. Though I don't doubt that there is any misfortune we must face."

L's fingers curled back into his hand, but not entirely. Then slowly, so slowly, as if he thought Light would disappear if he did, he placed his pallid hand on Light's face. He searched his amber eyes for a moment. A sigh released from his lips.

"Perhaps not getting the chance to speak was your misfortune." A thumb glided over Light's cheek and he shivered. "And perhaps my misfortune was not allowing you to do so. But I suppose it's something neither of us can really say for certain. That is, until the day's over and done with."

Light continued to stare soundlessly into L's eyes and wondered if he would've done as L said. If he would've told L that he loved him. He didn't know anything like that, though. They would have been meaningless words on Light's lips and both of them would know it. It was a poisonous lie that would affect him just as lethally as it would L.

He hated himself the most knowing he would've said it just to save himself.

L's cool fingers moved gently over his skin like a breath and he could feel that love L claimed to have in every touch. But just like his dark, aging eyes they felt faintly sad at the same time. Light stayed still and knew his mind strove to commit to memory L in that moment like it had with the rest. Only this time it seemed like one of the last.

"You should wear the tie."

In a daze Light heard the words and couldn't make sense of them. "What?"

"The tie you received from Miss Amane on Christmas. You should wear it for the party or she'll be most displeased," he explained. L's hand hadn't drawn from Light's face.

"Right," Light responded. He scarcely remembered that Misa gave him a tie for Christmas but he pretended to know what L meant. Perhaps there wasn't even a tie at all.

Before he even knew it L's lips had descended on his but did little more. They lingered only long enough to have left him yearning for more, giving him but a brief taste. Dread continued to fill his heart as he realized it had felt all too much like what he'd imagined a goodbye kiss to be. The hand dropped from his cheek and returned to L.

L twisted his body around to unlock the car with the driver's side door's controls. A unison click sounded that they could get out and L slipped the keys back into one of his front pockets. They jingled with the motion along with the chain.

Before L got the chance to ask Light had opened the passenger door. He stepped out of the Aston Martin with the sounds of L moving to do the same behind him. They traveled back to their floor in the elevator – the plate that once held cake had mysteriously vanished – and Light lay awake in bed for hours before sleep shut his eyes.

But in the hours that the sun began to think about lumbering up over the horizon L set his laptop on the ground and sought warmth on Light's side of the bed. He curled his fingers into Light's soft pajama shirt and pressed his forehead against his chest.

* * *

Morning came.

L crouched dutifully with his laptop on the bed as he did most mornings and Light untangled himself from the sheets. He went through the motions of getting ready, as if it was to be any normal day of the year. After that L never stayed in one spot for very long. He said little and nibbled on various muffins or cookies while he drifted from room to room, lap top in hand.

On one such occasion Light glanced at the clock, having seated himself on the living room couch. L typed.

It was 5:30 PM. He practically had the time to blink and the day had just about vanished. The day of the circus or even the concert New Year's had seemed so far off, as if it were something he'd not see for years. But it had been all too close. He'd hated L – at the very least mildly – and now he only had a handful of memories.

And perhaps all he would have the next year would be memories.

His gaze hardened on the glowing numbers on the digital clock. He'd never _not_ succeeded, not once in his entire life. Of all the failures he could endure, this wouldn't be the first. It simply wouldn't.

And then came a knock.

L let out a quiet sound of displeasure and got rid of a few open windows on his screen; Light didn't get the chance to see what they had been. The laptop shut down in mere seconds and the detective folded it closed swiftly. Before he knew it L had started to make his way to the door, though not without a sour expression on his face. It was as if _he_ had been the one to eat practically a candy store's worth of lemon sweets.

And some had been covered in _pocket lint_.

The thought was shaken from his head the moment he heard the first voice from the other side of the door.

"_Liiiiiiiight!_" She knocked again, more impatient now. "We're here for the paaartyyy!"

L's hand stopped several inches from the doorknob.

"…'_we?'_" He repeated the word, as if to validate that he'd heard correctly.

"She wasn't supposed to come with anyone, was she?" Light caught up with the frozen form of L and could finally see his sour expression had deepened into a scowl. He quickly steeled himself for what lied behind the door L now apparently refused to touch. Light added, "Who do you suppose she brought?"

L still made no move to turn the knob. Instead, he stared at the thing with continued distaste and his changeless stare. "Oh, I think we both have a very good idea of who that might be."

"…and I'm to greet them?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Light sighed, as if he had expected anything else. "Of course."

L took a few paces backward to give Light full access to the door. Misa banged on the thing at random intervals. And as time went on those intervals grew shorter and shorter. Deciding to get it over and done with like a band-aid, Light brought himself to walk to the door and undo the lock. He felt L's wary gaze behind him. Finally the moment came when he joylessly turned the knob and pulled it open.

He barely got a glance of Matsuda before Misa threw her arms around his neck and drowned him in kisses. Light stumbled back and he tried to gain some semblance of balance. Foolish as he was he strained to see around the girl, seeing if L showed the slightest bit of interest in giving help. Instead, he walked right past and addressed the second guest.

He did at least manage to hear the exchange over Misa's coos.

"Matsuda-san." L's voice had a strange calm. Definitely not pleased.

"Yes, Ryuuzaki…?" Light almost pitied the man. He sounded as if he'd been caught stealing from the cookie jar. Which, in the presence of L, would probably have an even more dire result…

"You do realize I forbade all task force members excluding Yagami-kun and myself from coming on the premises until January."

"Well, I –"

"You're compromising the entire case by doing so. Did you even consider at any point that this would be a bad thing, Matsuda-san?"

"But, uh, the thing is – Misa and –"

"It opens up the possibility of terminating your chances of continuing with the investigation."

"_What?_ Ryuuzaki, you can't be serious! I can go, just _please_ –"

"While your cooperation is appreciated, you'll find that pleas are highly ineffective with me. I'll send you an email with my decision within the hour. Have a nice New Year's, Matsuda-san."

Miraculously Light found himself freed from Misa – no doubt not without a good deal of lipstick stains – and got a better view of the scene at the door. Matsuda stood there, bug-eyed, in front of L while the detective stared at an interesting patch of ceiling. His pale fingers were playing at the idea of reaching for the doorknob. They hovered less than a foot away and Matsuda continued to look like a victim of a horror movie.

Misa stood directly in front of him now, excitement written all over her face. "Light! I brought all kinds of _amazing_ stuff for –"

"Just one moment, Misa," Light said at length, using the most dulcet tone he could manage before sickening even himself. However, it pleased Misa enough so he could maneuver his way to Matsuda's plight.

Light caught the door as L made up his mind on whether or not to slam it in the sorry man's face. He cast a look over at Light, as if betrayed.

Sometimes, though, he had to marvel at the innate talent Matsuda had with pushing L's buttons. It bordered on being a superpower, surely.

"Matsuda-san." He tore away from the stare he'd been receiving from L and switched his attention to the man in the hall. L didn't even have time to protest as Light stepped in front of him, blocking him completely from Matsuda. Light continued, "Don't take Ryuuzaki-san seriously right now. We've both been experiencing a deal of stress. This is in part due to the nature of our 'December Approach,' if you could call it that."

Matsuda's shoulders relaxed, as if he'd been carrying Atlas' load. "You really mean it…?"

He distinctly heard L draw in a breath behind him, all too ready to fire up a protest. On impulse Light gave the chain a rough jerk and L was silenced. Because, frankly, when it came down to it…Light supposed he'd prefer to have Matsuda around rather than Misa alone.

"Yes, really. You're free to come in until the party's over and you can keep your job."

"Light-kun, I-I…I'll owe you one." Appreciation welled up in Matsuda's eyes to the point where Light feared he'd get a life-draining hug. He took a cautious step back.

"It's no problem, Matsuda-san. Really." He waved his hand and made room in the doorway. "Just come in and sit down. You look like you've seen a ghost."

Matsuda made a few slightly fearful steps into the hall, appearing to expect another brutal verbal assault from L at any moment. When none came he gained a smidgen more confidence and continued to the living room. L still scowled.

"Relax, Ryuuzaki. What's the worst he could really do?" Light closed and locked the door behind him soundly.

"Hmmm…" L shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing to Matsuda's retreating figure. "Alphabetically or in order of probability?"

"That many?"

"Yes. Had I known about this in advance, I would've set up the child-safety locks I'd purchased for such an event."

"I don't doubt you did. But anyway, we should follow him to the living room. Misa appears to be there already."

L blinked, as if the news were a revelation. "Then time is of the essence." And so L shuffled down the hall at what Light supposed was as close as he could get to warp speed. Light followed casually.

No sooner than when they stepped foot into their destination did the sound of blaring pop music reach their ears. Set right of the coffee table was a pink boom box freckled with stickers and Misa standing next to it. The sudden volume made them both cringe while Matsuda and Misa were relatively unaffected. Another table already harbored various drinks and cups, a bag of not-yet inflated balloons sat in the middle of the room, and Matsuda got put to work right away setting up miscellaneous decorations. Misa perked up considerably upon seeing Light arrive and pranced over. Her coat lay forgotten on the back of a chair to reveal one of the shorter cocktail dresses Light had witnessed to date. Moreover it was, hands down, the most obnoxious in terms of color.

She clutched onto his side immediately and the electric red sequins pressed into his skin. He mentally groaned at the realization that he'd spend the majority of the evening hopelessly itchy.

"Light, I've missed you so much!" Misa spouted shrilly. She beamed up at him. "I think this party was a great idea! I brought all kinds of music and drinks and party poppers and balloons and snacks and –"

Previously distracting himself with scrutinizing Matsuda as he decorated, L immediately snapped his head to look at Misa. With some trepidation in his voice, he said, "Snacks…?"

"Yeah, snacks." She started counting them off on her fingers as she listed them aloud. "Like popcorn, chips and dip, M&Ms, mixed nuts, and other stuff."

Not seeming _quite_ so displeased anymore, L merely nodded. Instead of resuming to eyeball Matsuda, he decided to keep his heavy gaze settled on Misa. Her grip on Light became ever so slightly tighter. The feel of the sequins weren't any more comfortable than they had been before and so he sighed.

"Hey, Misa?"

She ignored L and switched her focus to Light in an instant. "Yes?"

"The music's a little loud. Could you turn it down some?"

"Oh, sure!" She detached herself from Light and hurried over to the boom box. "I was just trying to set the volume when you guys came. Sorry!"

Light skillfully hid his relief. "It's fine."

L had begun meandering around the room and a tug on Light's wrist made it so that he was meandering along with him. His wide eyes scanned everywhere, stopping once or twice to look under furniture. He spoke loud enough for Misa to hear him but did not turn his head to look at her.

"Amane-san, tell me where you're keeping these supposed M&M's…" He delicately pulled open her purse, peering inside. "…if they even exist. I'm having my doubts."

"Hey! Don't look through my stuff!" In less than a second she'd bounded over and snatched her purse away, clutching it to her side protectively. "It's in one of the white plastic bags. You could've asked sooner, you know!"

"This is true." L's thumb had found its way to his mouth and it rested on his bottom lip. "Tell me, Amane-san…do you have something to hide in that purse?"

Misa's level of annoyance only flared higher. "No! It's just rude to look through a girl's purse like that!"

"Nevertheless, I am beginning to grow suspicious."

"What! It's called privacy, you jerk!"

"Your purse is sizeable and could conceal a number of potentially dangerous objects."

"You're _not_ looking through my purse!"

Practically hiding behind Misa's tiny body, Matsuda tapped her shoulder a few times. She snapped her head in his direction immediately and, still angry, practically shouted, "What!"

"Um…" he shrank away visibly. Matsuda's eyes flitted over and noticed an approaching L, so he quickly continued, "I was just wondering if since you're, uh, so busy I could set out some of the…snacks…"

The model blinked her eyes a few times, all of a sudden noticing the put-up decorations she'd lugged up the elevator. The sight of strings of lights and other sparkly things distracted her so much that she appeared to have completely forgotten that she'd been screaming merely seconds before. Matsuda scurried off to the grocery bags of food. Light could only watch helplessly as L in one swift move snatched Misa's purse right off of her arm.

It took a moment for Misa to have finally realized that she'd lost the purse at all. But when she did, Light stood stunned that the look on her face didn't just vaporize L. So began the most perilous game of keep-away Light ever had the misfortune of being a part of.

* * *

"Fruitless."

"What?" Light asked, rubbing his aching wrist. He gratefully took a seat on the couch and glanced at L, who only currently possessed one of his neutral expressions.

"The search was fruitless. Amane-san had nothing worthy of suspicion."

Light raised a brow. "You're upset that she _didn't_ have a handgun or pocketknife? I thought she was cleared from the suspect list."

"So she is," L said. He reached in one of his pockets, searching for what Light was assumed was a peppermint or any other kind of candy he always had in infinite supply. "I was almost certain she had other sweets that she had chosen not to reveal the existence of inside, but no."

Misa sat down on the unoccupied spot next to Light on the couch without her purse. As soon as she'd pried the thing from L's fingers she hid it away in her car outside. She kicked off her high heels tiredly . The only person left out of the fiasco had been Matsuda, now sitting off to the side in the armchair. It was far too large and made him look a bit smaller than he really was.

The couch, on the other hand, wasn't quite big enough for the three people it currently seated. The shoulders of both L and Misa pressed against his own. Which, of course, meant he would always feel those damned sequins as well as L. If any single person shifted their position Light would be all the more reminded of the detective's presence, the warmth of his skin radiating right through the fabric. It made him want to be able to actually touch his soft skin and made his chest become heavy.

L loved him.

The silence of the car still rung loudly in his ears, broken abruptly by L's voice. Yes, L had been talking…

"But I have to admit, there _was_ one thing that I thought was strange."

Hiding his prior distraction, Light said with an air of disinterest, "Really."

Misa ignored L and said nothing.

"Yes, really. This." He finally pulled the thing from his pockets and held it out in between two fingers. Light had to stare at it for a long moment before accepting it for what it was. Totally unaffected, L continued, "It perplexes me slightly. Typically if one takes these birth control pills it implies that they intend to have sex. Tell me, Amane-san, did you plan to spend the night? After all, Light-kun isn't allowed to leave the premises just yet…"

Misa yelped in surprise and snatched the pills from L's fingers lightning fast. With no purse to store them in any longer, she dashed out of the living room to put them god knew where and left the three men alone in the living room. L reached over and grabbed a large handful of M&M's.

Matsuda finally spoke as L crunched away at the candies, his voice stronger than he'd expected. "Well, this is just awkward…"

"Told you she had something to hide." He spoke with the M&M's still in his mouth and threw more in right afterward.

"Yes, but that was totally unnecessary. The evening isn'tgoing to be a walk in the park now."

"I saved you from a potentially dire fate. You should be thankful."

"Look, I'll thank you later if that's what you want. Right now we have to think of a way to miraculously make her happy again."

Quietly Matsuda said as he lifted himself from the too-big armchair, "I'll just go make some tea…"

He slipped out of the room like a ghost and the two didn't care enough to notice. There were more pressing matters.

"Amane-san is dependent on praise from others." He examined a blue M&M in the palm of his hand thoughtfully before gobbling it up.

"That's a start. If we build on from that, then we probably could –"

Before Light could finish what he'd been saying he heard Misa's approaching footsteps and shut his mouth. He considered grabbing some chips from a bowl if just to keep himself occupied. She took her time making her way into the living room and L began organizing his M&M's by color on the coffee table. There were a suspiciously low amount of reds and blues.

When Misa finally did arrive she made a stop at the punch bowl and poured herself a glass. With some hesitation she took back her seat next to Light and focused on the color of her plastic cup. While Light did appreciate the temporary lull, it felt unnatural to have Misa so reluctant to cling and talk endlessly. Just when Light decided he no longer felt comfortable trapped in between L and Misa while over-played pop music kept coming out of Misa's boombox – it felt like an eternity had passed – Matsuda decided to finally come back. Four mugs of steaming cups sat on a tray he'd managed to find and he struggled to keep them from spilling.

"Oh, hi Misa! I know you have something else, but I decided I should make you some tea, too, because - " It was then that Matsuda tripped over one of his own feet and everything, including the tray with held the mugs, plummeted to the ground. L didn't bother to look up as he lined up all of the M's on his M&M's, which meant that Misa was the only one able to spring to the man's assistance. Matsuda stared at the mess in horror.

"It's okay, Matsu! This can be cleaned up easy!" Misa assured, carefully picking up shattered bits of what previously had held their tea.

As if realizing where he was, Matsuda dropped to the ground and joined her in picking up fragments of the mugs.

"I think he really is going to fire me now. Light can't stop him every time… I'm always clumsy."

"No, it'll be fine! You just had some bad luck, that's all!"

L froze suddenly, an orange M&M held between his fingers. "Bad luck…"

"What was that, Ryuuzaki?" Light asked, focused more on Matsuda's plight than the M&M project L had busied himself with.

Misa dropped some of what she'd picked up from the floor into a small trash can since Matsuda managed to collect the rest and brushed off her dress. The tea had been soaked into the carpet and it seemed to go unspoken that it was a mess they wouldn't tend to until later. She went back to her seat. Misa noticed the look of confusion Light had targeted at L and decided to stare at the detective herself, curious.

"My, Light-kun. Wouldn't you say that Misa bears a striking resemblance to _infelix Dido_?" L turned his wide eyes to peer at Misa, a finger dangling from his mouth. "She's just as Vergil described; it just came upon me. Golden hair, rather beautiful, full of devotion, passionate… In fact, Queen Dido's deep love for the Trojan prince creates some interesting parallels. Wouldn't you say so?"

Light quickly racked his brain for details on the queen from the poem L was hinting at. _Infelix, infelix, infelix…_ The word sounded terribly familiar. The answer dawned upon him just as he thought of how L had appeared suddenly interested in Matsuda's blunder. Unlucky Dido pined after a hero that she couldn't have. She pined so much that she grew alarmingly obsessed, spending all of the time she could with him and sitting on the cushions he'd sat upon, raving…

L, the little devil, was silently calling Misa crazy. Light smiled and made it seem as though he did so because he agreed full-heartedly with what L said.

"Now that I think about it, yeah."

She blinked, taken by surprise. "Really?"

"Frighteningly similar to the Carthaginian queen."

"I agree."

Suddenly overwhelmingly pleased, Misa threw her arms around Light and planted a kiss on his cheek. She blathered on about how Light surely must've been exactly like the prince L mentioned Dido had been in love with, as if trying to make their own relationship like something out of a fairytale. Light listened enough to put in the occasionally statement of agreement. He suddenly wondered to himself if he had really preferred this over the prior silence and if Misa was more like Dido than he would have liked to think she was. When the Trojan Aeneas had left her city in attempted secrecy, the unlucky queen had put an end to her own life… So perhaps if _he_ did leave...

Light banished the thought at once. That would only spell disaster and it certainly wasn't something that he could consider now, of all times.

L turned back to his candies and began eating them again, one color at a time.

He was reminded that he still had to talk to Misa, but the idea was still next to impossible. L would never be far enough away from him to get any privacy, and if he dared to ask for it he'd rouse suspicion. He'd have to find some way, some opening to take advantage of, to keep Misa from doing what she thought would make Light love her forever.

"Hey, Ryuuzaki-san. I have this question," Matsuda said suddenly. Light became quickly aware of the fact that he'd been generally ignored yet again and decided to pay some attention. Misa's sequins still rubbed against his skin. Matsuda continued, "I was at the store with Misa and I was thinking ice cream would sound good to pick up, you know? But right next to it was some frozen yogurt and I realized I'd never tried it before. I mean, should I get some on my way home? Or is ice cream way better?"

"Hmm… I'm afraid it's not an easy answer, Matsuda-san. You see, it all depends on…"

By that time Light came to the realization that the very thing he'd been hoping desperately for arrived. Matsuda, bless his heart, distracted L with a conversation on one of his most favorite things: ice cream. It was almost too perfect. Light switched his attention to Misa casually.

"Misa, I was wondering what you'd been planning on doing after the party? I know L and I will be watching the celebrations on the news, discussing plans for January, and stuff like that." He managed to slide his arm out of her grasp and set it over her small shoulders. "Maybe you should call –"

"Oooh! Of course! I just wish _somebody_ wouldn't be keeping you away all night!" She sent a pointed glare at L who then decided to suspend his discussion on the comparable aspects of ice cream and frozen yogurt. "I'd wanted more than anything to get a New Year's kiss from you, Light, but it looks like I'll just be spending the night at home."

L tilted his head to the side. "A 'New Year's kiss?'"

"Geez, Ryuuzaki. Haven't you heard of it before?" Misa leaned into Light some more but still looked at L in disbelief. "People, pretty much always couples – they don't have to be, though – will kiss each other when it turns midnight New Year's Eve and becomes January first for good luck and stuff."

"Interesting… That tradition aside, I suggest everyone to be particularly cautious tonight. We all remember the promise Kira made on television earlier this month and I would not find pleasure knowing anyone on the investigation team became one of his next victims." L popped a few green M&M's into his mouth.

"Oh, yeah! Maybe I shouldn't go to the grocery store, then…"

Misa pulled out one of her cell phones and flipped it open. At once she snapped the thing closed and practically jumped up off of the couch. "We're almost out of time!"

Light glanced at his own watch and found that she was right. There was perhaps only twelve minutes until the time that L claimed he'd "have them thrown out onto the street." That is, Watari would. L mentioned to Light off-handedly before that it wouldn't do to have Misa's overwhelming perfume on his clothes for the remainder of the night.

While Misa dashed around the living room, searching through the grocery bags with mad desperation, Light realized at one point or another that she'd placed a glass in his hand. In fact, there was one in Matsuda and L's possession with one sitting out for Misa herself. They were shaped for one drink in particular, that drink being champagne.

"Look, I got this bottle last minute and we don't have to drink the whole thing. It even said it would be kinda sweet, like you like Ryuuzaki, so could we pleaseeee?" Misa pleaded, bottle in hand.

L stared at the champagne Misa held blankly. Whether he read everything on its label he could see or was off in his own mind Light couldn't really determine, but in a moment or so L's hand went out to take the thing from her hands.

"We may have _some_…" L started, shifting his gaze briefly to Light, "but I will open it. I know how and I'd like to avoid any more potential messes that Watari will have to clean later."

"Fine, but I know how, too!" Nevertheless, Misa went back to where she'd been sitting and held out her glass.

With little effort L managed to open the bottle minus any champagne on the rug or other catastrophes. Everyone got a small amount of the bubbling drink in each of their glasses and they spent their remaining few minutes drinking bad champagne while Misa continued to talk and only Matsuda genuinely listened. L downed what he'd poured himself with a look of mild disgust and scooped up what was left of his M&M's, pouring them right into his mouth.

* * *

Misa's left-over things – food, still-deflated balloons, a party horn or two – were tossed into the garbage immediately upon her leave and Watari attended to Matsuda's mess. Before the elderly gentleman arrived, however, L had phoned him and he entered their quarters with a familiar cart carrying a steaming teapot. L eagerly set out the cups, sugar, tea, and sweets onto the coffee table as if nothing mattered more in the world. Cubes piled high in his tea and he drank the stuff without giving it time to cool. Light couldn't help but watch in fascination. What _kind_ of fascination he couldn't rightly pinpoint. He took a careful seat next to L on the couch.

However, the blazing hot tea seemed to have zero effect on L as he took a second sip. He sighed.

"That champagne, if you could call it that, was the cheapest, most _vile_ beverage." The very memory of the thing made him grimace, so he took another drink. "Miss Amane either has no taste or drinks on the cheap. Then again, probably both."

L's utter disgust humored Light enough to make one side of his lips quirk upwards. "I wouldn't doubt it. But it does make me wonder how you could know if that was cheap champagne. You don't strike me as one to like alcohol, with your more than mild obsession over keeping up your 'reasoning abilities.'"

"That is true. I never drink. However," he said, swirling around his spoon in an attempt to dissolve more of the sugar he'd put in his tea, "I've familiarized myself with different alcoholic beverages. It can come in handy, knowing if a drink tastes different than it should because it's been poisoned…"

Light finally picked up the teapot to pour his own cup, not bothering to add any sugar. "So if you were in a situation where you found yourself drinking whiskey, you could tell if it had been spiked given that the poison was not flavorless?"

"Indeed. Though whiskey _is_ awful stuff. With someone with as low of an alcohol tolerance as you possess, I definitely wouldn't suggest it. But I will admit, the results would be nothing short of entertaining." His long fingers reached for the pot again, already done with his first cup. "And since we are on the subject, I happen to have currently a bottle of _Louis Roederer_. I've been aware of the 'champagne and New Year's' tradition and thought it only suitable to follow it. Rest assured, it's a significant improvement on what Misa forced down our throats."

The cup was half-way to Light's lips as he stopped himself. He looked to L with curiosity. "'The results would be entertaining'? What does _that_ mean?"

"Oh. Hm. I seem to have put myself in quite the predicament."

"L."

"How unfortunate. I can _still_ taste Miss Amane's awful champagne in my mouth. What about you, Light?"

"L, what exactly happened Christmas Eve?"

"Don't you remember? I told you that you passed out towards the end of the film. Then I had to carry you _all_ the way –"

"Doubtful."

"I suppose I'll have to let you in on that little secret. Very well." He drained what was left in his teacup and set it down on its saucer. L set his arms on his knees in the way that always made it seem he was protecting himself from something and set his gaze on Light. "You kissed me."

He'd been expecting anything else. Some kind of shenanigans, something wildly out of character, but… That was before Christmas. Light had kissed L first and he couldn't remember a thing. God, L had gotten an inebriated first kissed and he said he didn't regret it, that he even _valued_ the memory. He couldn't remember his first kiss with L. Of all the things to forget he couldn't remember his first kiss with L.

Light remembered he had tea suddenly and brought it to his lips. The hot liquid burned his tongue and he quickly set the cup down.

"I should have told you sooner, perhaps," L continued softly, stirring his spoon in an empty teacup. It clinked against the sides.

"It's fine," Light managed. The flesh of his tongue throbbed with a slowly dulling pain. Ice water sounded heavenly.

A silence stretched on as L's eyes floated over and he looked ahead. He'd stopped stirring air and let his hand return to his knee. He seemed to stare past the furniture and walls to some other place entirely and Light found he couldn't summon up anything to say. He heard eventually another large exhale from L's lungs and he brought his attention back to the detective's hunched form. A heavy darkness clung under his eyes. He thought it strange he hadn't noticed it at the party once.

"I have a surprise for you," he stated, not quite as hushed but reluctant to get very loud. He stuck a hand into one of his possibly bottomless pockets and dug around. L found the thing with relative ease and pulled it out. In the lights of the living room shone a small silver key.

Hesitantly, Light began, "Is that…"

"They key to the chain's handcuffs? That it is. Now, if you would be so kind as to hold out your hand."

"But, why _now? _It's not even remotely close to midnight." Nevertheless, Light abided by L's request and brought his hand out that for so long harbored the metal cuff, the thing had had kept them bound together twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

"True. However, neither of us will be leaving this floor before New Year's Day and I see little purpose in prolonging the discomfort for a scant few more hours. That, and it's a bit of a last holiday gift from me to you." L quickly undid Light's cuff and went to work on his own at once.

The sensation of having his wrist totally bare was almost alien now to Light, and he rubbed the area of skin. He noticed thin lines of what looked like small scars here and there with some distaste. He'd never gotten any scars before. They didn't seem as though they'd go away easily, if at all. He glanced at L as he undid his own cuff which always hung on his fragile-looking wrist like a bangle bracelet. On L's pale skin he held his own scars from the metal cuff and they were an angry red.

Light caught himself staring and quickly shifted his eyes back to his tea cup. Only small wisps of steam rose from the surface anymore, like miniature specters.

He could hear the metal of the chain rattle against itself as L gathered it all up. He tossed the great bundle beneath the couch, like a kid sweeping the dirt underneath the carpet because they didn't want to bother with the dustpan.

Had L _ever_ cleaned up after himself?

L suddenly resumed talking as he poured a third cup of still piping hot tea. "But other than champagne, I've heard Japan has one New Year's tradition that involves the ringing of bells. I assume you know about it?"

"Yeah. All of the Buddhist temples will be ringing their bells at midnight one-hundred and eight times. We'll especially be able to hear _Watched Night_ here in Tokyo." Light paused, feeling the warmth go through the porcelain cup into his skin. They were all such a fine, bone-white color and so delicate. "It's a famous bell, sort of an attraction. I saw it when I was younger, once, but you can always hear it the most."

"One-hundred and eight is a very specific sounding number," L commented, sounding perfectly calm. "So what does that number mean, exactly?"

"It symbolizes the one-hundred and eight sins in the Buddhist belief. People think that when they ring the bells, they'll be rid of all their sins during the previous year. Then there are celebrations, lots of soba noodles…"

"Interesting. Oh, that does remind me now of something." L reached for the small plate of cookies that had been up until that point untouched. He took a sizeable bite from one he'd snatched and continued talking with some of the chewed-up cookie still in his mouth. "Eventually tomorrow we'll have to discuss how to move forward from this point. There's the question of your residency, developments in the case, our next plans of action, and so on and so forth. Back to business, in other words."

"Right. You've been finding leads?" To himself, Light's interest sounded hollow. Misa still hadn't called.

"I'll have several things to discuss with the task force tomorrow," L answered, somewhat. He dropped the final three sugar cubes into his cup and attempted to dissolve them with his stirring spoon. It was then that an audible buzzing sound filled the often-occurring silence. Light reached for his own phone, anxiety rushing through him, but instead L had out his with what appeared to be a text message. Light's cell phone still lay dormant and unmoving in his pocket.

L's fingers moved swiftly over the keys and finished in a moment's time.

"Watari?" Light ventured.

"Indeed. He inquired what desserts I wanted to restock the fridge with. I've gone far too long without a red velvet cake, or even some flan…" L finished off his saccharine brew and licked his lips, no doubt thinking about the sweets to come. After the short reverie he switched his attention back to the empty bowl of sugar and frowned. "Out already?"

"You're surprised?" Light cocked an eyebrow. _Unbelievable_. "You've been going at that bowl for the entire time. I'm sure you consumed enough cubes to make that little civilization you were building at breakfast yesterday."

"If only," L mused, pushing himself off of the couch and letting his sockless feet to hit the floor. "I'll be off to the kitchen to get some more sugar."

"Bring back a glass of water, if you'd be so kind," Light called as L's form retreated to the kitchen.

He merely waved without turning around, signaling that he heard the request. Whether or not he would have a glass of water with him when he returned would be another matter entirely.

Misa still hadn't called. She'd said she would, but the hours would be slipping away and she could forget. Light contemplated calling her with the hope that somehow he could get her to understand that she was absolutely _not_ to use the notebook, especially knowing L's name, all before the detective sauntered back into his room with a bowl full of sugar and maybe a glass of water. But he definitely wouldn't have that kind of time. Misa probably wouldn't even answer her phone before L got back. Enough time had passed that she could've already arrived at home.

So instead he sat there on the couch, as still as a statue, waiting for L to emerge from the kitchen. He could hear the warm air whispering through the vents into the room and L's bare feet, far-off on the tile of the kitchen floor. He drank what was left of the tea in his cup and decided to pour a second. Light sat it down on the saucer to cool. He'd expected for L to be back already but he decided it was strange to be so concerned about how long the detective chose to be in the kitchen. He could've spotted a nice looking box of animal crackers or some other treat, or counted out how many cubes he wanted exactly, as if it were a science. There was no reason to worry.

He crossed his legs and just as he checked the time on his wristwatch he heard something shatter – a weight hit the ground.

An awful sort of feeling slithered into his stomach but he chose presently to ignore it. Instead, Light with some hesitation called out, "L? Is there something wrong?"

When the second hand labored for far too long around the face of his watch Light pushed himself off of the couch. He began to advance towards the hall, one foot in front of the other. Perhaps he'd spoken too quietly? Light swallowed.

"L?"

Again, nothing came.

Light pursed his lips and continued to the kitchen. He didn't stray far from one of the walls and he could feel his fingertips just brush over the surface as he walked. Why was it that he couldn't hear anything? Every footfall startled him and he fought to keep composure. He felt like he was five again, going to the kitchen in the dark for a cup of water, wary of every small sound and the shadows hanging in the corners.

When the kitchen entryway was but a few feet away Light paused. He couldn't see anything yet, but he strained to listen for any sound, any at all. Muffled and labored was the quietest of breathing. There was nothing else. He found himself in the middle of the entryway before he knew it.

On the middle of the tile floor like a tossed-aside rag doll was L, face-down. The sugar bowl had shattered into hundreds of porcelain shards in every corner and cubes littered the floor. One had rolled as far as Light's foot; he'd almost stepped on it. L's wild hair hung over his face as if a shroud. One of the cupboard doors was still open. L did not move at all but the tremulous exhales still existed.

The air had turned black – it took the oxygen from Light's lungs.

Light never realized it but the sight of L's sprawled body had replaced any feeling of accomplishment he would have had when Kira had been most important; it was replaced instead with consuming dread.

He walked over the bowl fragments and scarcely could feel them as he went further into the kitchen. Still unbelieving of the horror right before his eyes, he kneeled beside where L rested his head. He reached out an arm to touch L's inky black hair. L did not move.

"L?" His throat felt suddenly raw, as if he'd been screaming. He swallowed but it did little good. "L, are you okay?"

Nothing.

A dark fear seized his heart, the very thing he'd tried to keep buried away. He no longer could catalogue, weigh, or even decide what actions to take. Impulse drove him to pick up L's torso from under his arms and turn him right-side up, pulling his thin body to Light's lap. Trembling hands brushed away the hair that still hung over L's eyes. When he saw them, he couldn't look away. Wide – god, they were so wide and open. He felt as though he could see directly into L's soul, and it was filled with an overpowering fear. Alive, L stared directly into Light's eyes. They held there several more shallow breaths, whispering past L's partially-open mouth.

With one arm he still held L's slight frame – he felt as if he weighed nothing – against him and managed to bring the same hand to rest on the side of L's head, on his soft hair. L's unwavering gaze still held.

"L? Are you okay?"

He stroked L's head, as if he could bring life into him like a newborn puppy. His lips released a shorter breath this time. The white shirt was so baggy he could never tell the rises and falls of his chest. Still supporting the man's weight against him, he quickly brought down a hand to rest on L's chest where his heart would be.

A chill ran through him more horrid than any other. Once he felt a heartbeat, a feeble one. He never left L's eyes.

While he waited for the next heartbeat L's eyes became death-dulled, still staring. It never came.

He removed his hand from L's chest and went back to stroking his hair.

* * *

At 8:46 PM on December the thirty-first, Watari heard sound the alarm which in all his years with L he'd hoped never to hear. His vitals monitor wailed as if a banshee in the quiet of the observations room, the shrill sound bouncing hard off of the walls. Watari was out the door and down the hall to the elevator in seconds, his heartbeat in his ears.

The numbers couldn't have turned more slowly as he descended. L had chosen to reside on a floor far below the mass of TV monitors and computer screens that the task force never knew existed. L still could not trust them. He had seen too much for a man of hardly twenty-five.

He sprinted down the hall as the doors slid open to the door. He'd gone there countless times with trays of food and drinks that L asked for. Watari already had his key in his fist. Calm hands guided the key to the keyhole and the door opened without a sound. The hinges didn't even creak. Inside there was still nothing he could hear. He started down the hall and the first room he came upon was the kitchen area. Immediately he looked inside.

"Oh, god…"

He found L pulled up against Light Yagami's chest with his tousled hair being stroked gently. He held L's body as if he were a child with its favorite doll.

Light had never heard him speak, much less come in. He still hopelessly stroked that black hair.

His shoes made bits of something broken crunch underneath as he advanced to that section of the kitchen floor. He gently took Light's arms in a move to release L from the hold. As soon as the contact was made Light snapped from his stupor and his piercing gaze snapped up to Watari.

"_No_," he croaked. Watari froze at the sight of the ineffable torment in those eyes. "Don't take him. _Don't_."

"I have to, Yagami-san," he found himself saying. "Please let go."

"Don't. I-…"

Light pulled L tighter, almost his whole body shivering, as if cold.

Watari tried again to free L from Light's grasp and the young man resisted once more, but no more than once. His strength ran out. He was left in the middle of the kitchen floor with just a broken bowl and dozens of sugar cubes.

* * *

He'd heard his phone ring, but Light did not answer it. Sometime after Watari left with L it rang and he heard hard banging on the door. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there but as the knocks persisted, rattling through his skull, he grabbed weakly for the counter and brought himself onto a pair of numb legs. A distinct emptiness clung to every object, the rooms… Half in a dream, he made his way to the door. He supposed he'd opened it because Misa entered the hallway in a flash.

And following her was the towering form of Rem.

The blonde wrapped her arms tightly around his chest in a crushing hug. She chanted something over and over again. He couldn't decipher the words at first; either his mind ran slow or she had begun to press her words closely together until they were scarcely words anymore. But he did eventually understand her.

"_I_ _did it I did it I did it!_" she squealed, rubbing her face in his chest with glee. "I did just as you wanted Light! I remembered his name this time, and not too long ago – Well, here. Gimme a minute."

He was released from her hold and he stared at her.

She only continued to dig through her oversized purse. Something in the back of his mind told him it was the same one she'd used earlier at the party, but he hardly cared. She pulled out a black notebook and held it out to him like a Valentine card.

"Oh, I should get the page for you! Sorry, uh –"

Misa flipped through a few pages – all filled with ink – in the front and stopped rather quickly. In her delicate script was one, single name in the middle of a blank page. It was written by a rushed, eager hand that fumbled with Roman letters. She thrust it back into his hands.

_L Lawliet._

As soon as he laid eyes on the name on the notebook paper, something inside of Light tore.

His grip tightened on the cover and pages. Misa waited for what she thought would be without doubt praise from the man she adored. He gazed unblinkingly at the page she'd opened for him for longer than she thought he would. She almost decided to say something again, but he closed the Death Note with care and held it in one hand.

His eyes met hers. She saw something different there, but immediately thought it silly and clasped her hands to her chest.

"Thank you, Misa. You really did it."

A wide grin broke across her face again.

"Oh, Light! Now we can do whatever we want! You don't have to worry about writing in secret or having me do it, and we can spend more time together and, and…"

Light's voice cut in and made her stop. A grave-sounding "no" was all it took.

"What…?" Misa still kept her arms to her chest, wary of lowering them.

"Misa," Light began, no longer looking at her but instead the floor at his feet. "I think we should break-up."

Misa drew in a breath, her slender eyebrows furrowing. Rem made her own presence known once more and strode towards Light's form. Her yellow eyes burned into him but still he did not look up, as if he didn't even care.

"Light Yagami, what do you think you are doing?" the Shinigami hissed lowly. The only reaction she received was his lips pressing together into a straight line.

"Think about it, Misa…Rem." He paused to draw in a breath, as if he hadn't enough air in his lungs. "From here on out I'll have more freedoms. I can use the notebook without being constantly monitored, suspected. But with that, things will be far more dangerous. I don't know how many more people will be after me, intelligent people with resources. It'd be foolish to think that there wouldn't be any more once he left. I'll still have to protect you along with myself every step of the way."

"Light? What are you saying?" Misa whimpered. Tears welled in her eyes, unbelieving of what she had to hear. Light wouldn't look at her.

"It would…make me happy for you to leave this. All of it. You'll be safer not around me than with me." He finally lifted his darkened eyes to stare at Rem. "You. You know that's the truth, too. She'll live a longer, better life not with me."

Rem did not reply.

"But Light! I love you! I can still help, and I can take care of myself when you're busy! Really, I-I promise I can!"

"Misa, _please_ relinquish your notebook."

"Light, don't say that!"

"Misa," came Rem's heavy voice. The shaking girl turned to look to the Shinigami and she continued to fight tears from spilling. Nevertheless, Rem continued, "Light is right, Misa. He's going down a road you shouldn't follow. It's not safe."

Her shoulders drooped. "But…"

"No, Misa. Do as he says."

A choked sob came from Misa's throat and she tried to cover it with a hand over her mouth. She stood there trembling while neither Light nor Rem said a word. She hadn't steadied herself when she attempted to speak again and words were tangled in the mess of snivels.

"I-I give u-u-up the notebook-k."

A silence fell over the room. Misa had quieted. Light watched her while Rem moved back to the poor girl's side. Her tiny hands fell from her face and looked straight at Light. A whole new emotion overtook her made-up face: fury. Fists formed at her sides and she strode right past Rem, as if she hadn't even been there. Her pigtails bobbed up and down with every deliberate step toward him. He did nothing.

"How dare you break up with me! I loved you! Here I came all this way to, to…" She struggled for the reason but gave up when nothing came. "Oh, I don't know! But I came to your place just so you could _break up with me?_"

"I'm sorry," Light said.

"Sorry! Ugh!" She readjusted the strap of her purse which had begun to slide down her arm and cast him a venomous look. The dampness in her eyes started coming back in the corners. "Have a fun time spending New Year's _by yourself!_ I'm going home."

Misa scrambled out of the hall and through the door. It slammed behind her and Light felt himself cringe at the sound. Rem did not look to him before she passed through one of the walls and left to what he assumed was following Misa to her car. He leaned against a wall with his eyes closed, listening to the air coming through the vents.

* * *

Light sat on the couch with the television off in front of him. He stared at the blank screen with his hands at his sides.

L was dead.

The tray of tea sat without anymore steam coming from its pot. It had cooled down to the temperature of the room. One teacup was in its saucer, completely dry, while the other still had an inch or so left to drink. That cup, however, would remain unfinished and cold. Crumbs lay scattered on the cookie dish. It reminded him of Christmas mornings.

Light closed his eyes and took in a breath.

Things were too quiet. Even the living room began to feel like a tomb.

His hands curled and grasped the edges of the cushions beneath him. Along the seams his fingers moved, feeling nothing but woven fabric and no zipper. But something else in those crevices of the couch met one of his fingers, a small thing. He fished it out easily enough and cradled it in a palm. It had all sorts of colors and it reflected the light in the room when he brought it up to where he could see it.

A candy wrapper, empty and crinkled inside the couch.

He'd never been so transfixed on something worth so little. Light remembered those lips, the taste of his mouth, the feel of his soft skin. Every moment he'd had with L flashed through his mind in rapid succession like a disjointed film reel. Some felt faded, the ones he had traveled through when they'd happened like daydreams. Perhaps one day he would lose them altogether.

He still held the wrapper and he thought of how long he'd actually loved L. And it was now something L wouldn't get the chance to hear. He remembered L's smile, and how much it reminded him of a child. It hurt to remember his smile.

Light's vision turned bleary. He'd started weeping with his chin dropped to his chest with an old candy wrapper crushed in his hand.

He could still see L smiling, lamplight in his face.

* * *

Legs that were no longer his own carried him to the bedroom. The bed was neatly made and empty. Nothing stirred and the laptop had been slid under the bed, shut off and asleep. He stared into the shadows for a while, the only light coming from the hall and the other rooms. Light must've turned on a lamp for when he moved further along the floor he could see the never-used desk with the pile of photographs on top.

Even from where he stood he could make out L's frozen eyes, making a feeble attempt to look at the camera. They both came off as mildly cranky with their faces squished together but Light felt as though he could not touch it. L's hair stuck out ridiculously under Sayu's elf hat, poking in every direction like someone who had just rolled out of bed.

Once he'd hoped he could pick up an old Polaroid. He'd take pictures of them both in Rome, in Paris, and in all of the other exotic cities L traveled to and keep them in an insignificant-looking box. Each one would be proof that L existed, that he wasn't just someone Light imagined, and not a single copy of each would be made. But now he only had one to look at and hold between his fingers – and L was gone.

He felt suddenly cold, as if the room were no longer empty and quiet. Light didn't move, too worn and tired. They were familiar footsteps, but of no one he cared to be around. He waited for them to speak and only gazed at the photograph.

The strong voice of Ryuk appeared in the quiet but Light remained motionless.

"Hey, Light. Long time no see, huh?" The strange footsteps echoed again from Ryuk's odd gait. He didn't pay mind to Light's silence and merely continued, "What've you been up to? New Year's not too far away. It sounds like it's going to be a pretty big deal."

Still, no reply.

Perplexed, Ryuk's ghoulish face came around Light's left. He wasn't paid any attention and didn't know what to make of it. Light was alone and had to reason to ignore him. His spindly finger jabbed Light's shoulder blade.

"Hey, what's the idea? There's nobody else. Aren't you going to give me the scoop on this 'cleansing' project you've got planned? Helloooo?" His finger continued to prod at Light's flesh. The young man's eyes were bright red, something unusual, but he had seen stranger things. He just kept at what he thought would make Light talk. And, of course, it eventually did work.

Light barely opened his mouth and what few words he did say came out a hoarse whisper.

"L is dead."

"_Huh?_" Ryuk balked and waited, expecting Light to say anything more. Nothing of the sort happened. Ryuk's gravelly voice whisked away the silence again, saying, "You really pulled it off? _Seriously?_"

Light stared ahead without looking at him.

"I don't get this quiet stuff. I thought this was something that would make you happy. And what is it exactly that you're looking at?" Ryuk turned his head, trying to follow Light's line of vision and found himself staring at a plain old desk. Though sitting on the surface were a stack of photos. The first had L.

He leaned closer, inspecting the flimsy sheet of paper with ink on it with his long arms hanging at his sides. Ryuk tilted his head back and then he laughed raucously.

Light's lips pressed together feebly.

The Shinigami stepped away from the desk and away from Light, chuckling as he went.

"Looks like we'll be having fun."

Light turned and discovered that Ryuk vanished, as if he'd never been there at all or materialized into the shadows. He left the photo on the desk and fell onto the mattress. Sleep overtook him immediately. He hadn't any more strength to fight it.

* * *

He lied in bed, suddenly awake but with his eyes still closed. It could have been maybe five minutes or hours. Light's head felt like it was pounding. It kept on and on so he brought his knees to his chest, curled up on the bed into a ball. The pounding was steady, maybe seconds apart, but wouldn't stop. His eyelids squeezed tightly together and he tried to will it away. It didn't leave. His hand reached out across the comforter, blindly grabbing for anything he could use to block it out or to at least just hold. It felt lonely in the middle of the large mattress; there was too much space.

Finally he felt something brush over his outstretched hand. It had nearly been too far away. Light pulled the object towards him, bringing it to his chest. Whatever the thing was, it was soft. He buried his face in it, hoping the next resonating pound wouldn't come. He just wanted to sleep.

When he was awake he thought of L.

Light cringed when the pounding returned. His head ached so terribly and felt so weighed down that it had to be inside of him, some horrid phantasm of his own making. He clutched the thing he'd grabbed on the bed tighter. It brushed against his cheeks in what felt like silken hair. Breath stopped for a moment in his lungs, coming out in a shaky exhale. Light carefully opened his eyes in the dark bedroom. Two black button eyes from the body of a brown teddy bear stared at him. His favorite gift.

He absently rubbed its velveteen ears, as if to fool himself. But the bear wasn't warm. He couldn't hear any steady, soft breaths. It only stared and let itself be held. Light was grateful it was so dark; any light would have meant he could see himself in its glassy black eyes, eyes that would look all too much like his.

He clutched the bear more tightly as another pound made his head throb.

Light opened his still-tired eyes just a fraction. Off to one side of the bed was his own alarm clock, a digital one. With the bedroom door shut soundly it was the only thing creating any sort of illumination. Its bright blue numbers leaked color onto the surface of his nightstand. He could barely even read them at first, as if they were a jumble of foreign letters. The pounding didn't make the task easier.

He stared at it.

12:00 AM, now January the first.

What he thought had been a tormenting migraine was simply _Watched Night_. It had always seemed festive, he thought, when it rang in the New Year. He was reminded of wedding bells, church bells...

Tonight it sounded like a funeral bell.

He wouldn't be able to sleep, not now. It would keep ringing until it had rung those one-hundred and eight times and with each one he'd think of what made the bed he lied on, the bedroom, the whole building feel so empty. His eyes felt like they were burning but he didn't want to let go of the bear to rub them.

L never got his New Year's kiss.

Just as Light began to lose himself in the endless drone of the bell another sound, not so far off, reached his ears. He assumed it was a figment of some kind, so he ignored it. It was only one past midnight. There was no one on his floor.

The sound came again, though. And this time, it had made a point to be louder. Light shook off some of his daze and listened for it. It was real. A fist rapped repeated on the door that led to the elevator hallway. Watari had keys to everywhere. If it'd been him, he would have merely let himself in. Misa was probably cursing his name and he doubted she'd come his way again anytime soon. Ryuk traveled through walls whenever he pleased. The task force was away, celebrating the holiday in their own homes.

He listened for a while longer, hoping that it would stop. Surely there was nothing more on the other side of the door than a vacant hallway. Ravens and ghosts were only in books. He told himself again there was nothing there.

But, just as _Watched Night_ had done, it grew louder and did not cease. Whatever it was, it demanded his attention and fought to prove how very real it was.

He found himself peeling his body off of the bed with tremendous effort. Light felt hundreds of times heavier and his mouth felt dry. His feet touched the ground and he walked through the floor as he had before, on a sort of cloudy autopilot. He didn't notice how one of his hands had refused to let go of the bear and it dangled at his side as he walked. The bedroom door stayed open behind him, filled with shadows.

He made it to the hallway, eyelids scarcely apart from fatigue and the blinding lights, and stared at the door at the very end. The sound came from it, there was no mistake.

Light continued onward and forced his gaze to stay fixed on the doorknob. In his peripherals he'd seen the kitchen. He couldn't look at it. He'd see him there again.

But quickly he found he'd already had his hand resting on the knob. The door rattled a bit with each knock, continuing still. He didn't care how rumpled his clothes would look or how untidy his hair was and remained unaware of the stuffed bear in his other hand.

And so Light turned the doorknob after another succession of knocks. He opened the door just a fraction, enough for one eye, and peered out into the elevator hallway.

His entire body went rigid at once and he screamed.

* * *

**A/N:** Trust me when I say it's important to hang around for the next chapter.

Meanwhile, I'd love to receive some reviews (the best present, I say). I'll never be the kind to only upload a chapter until receiving X amount of reviews, but I would extremely enjoy some for Christmas. I'm nearly done with the chapter for January 1st, so expect to see it sometime tomorrow!


	32. First Foot and New Year's

I present to you, the second to last chapter! *confetti and glitter everywhere* And I actually met my deadline. Bam.

Anyway, I went to work on the last bit of this like a boss some of yesterday - most of my time consisted of Mario Kart-ing and revelling in gifts in general - and most of today. _There will be another chapter, the epilogue, in due time_. I'll have some important parting words in that and whatnot.

All questions answered in here. Author's note at the bottom. There will be some time skips, but they're plainly labeled.

I made a January ficmix that you can listen to as well. Check my profile for the link if you'd like to listen; it'll be there soon-ish.

I don't own Death Note.

* * *

January 1**  
First-Foot Day and New Year's  
**

* * *

_December 29, 12:40 AM_

Without saying a word in response, the weary man went to grab a forgotten chair in the corner. It was a simple folding chair made of steel and hadn't been painted any color in particular. The glow of monitors still shutting down remained, reflecting off of the detective's face and painting it a light blue. He stayed silent for a long moment, legs drawn back to his chest and his chin on his knees. Watari did not interrupt L as he sat there in thought, eyes far-off. One of his pale wrists was an angry red color.

The hum of the computers ended as the last one had finally shut down. All that was left was silence.

L's dark eyes lifted back up to meet Watari. There was barely enough light left in the room, but he certainly felt the weight of that gaze. He calmly waited for the detective to break the silence.

L said tonelessly into the quiet, "We will have a confession from Kira by the New Year."

Watari, after a short moment, brought his arms to rest on his own chair's armrests. "I imagine I will be a central player in this scheme. But, are you certain that Light will not take notice of your absence soon? It could raise suspicion and affect your plan adversely…."

"No," L replied swiftly. "He will not notice."

"How, may I ask, do you know this?"

"He is under a mild sedative. I slipped it to him shortly before retiring for the night. He will not awaken for several hours and be unable to notice any lasting effects."

L felt a twinge of something nasty in the pit of his stomach. His face, however, did not give anything away. Watari still waited with a placid demeanor for him to elaborate. On larger cases, it was always this way. His final, decisive move would be explained in detail to Watari in what was ultimately a business-like manner. They would sit in silence and L would go about talking languidly the next moves on the board and Watari would listen. There were no dramatic visual aids, raised voices, or gesticulations of any sort. They only sat and spoke softly, as if at a funeral reception. Just L and Watari.

"As for Kira…though I have told Light and the task force otherwise, I am still certain that Miss Amane is the second Kira. We will focus on this first, but everything we speak of from this moment must be kept in absolute secrecy. I will not talk about it again under any circumstances. That is, until everything has been set in motion."

Watari shifted in his seat ever so slightly. "How then will we proceed with Miss Amane, then?"

"Misa Amane…will have surveillance cameras placed in her residence. It will be, in fact, very much like what was in the Yagami household." L's voice went on not unlike someone still wading through a dream. Detached but just barely there at all. He would read a newspaper article in a similar manner. "She has been invited to a rather long photo shoot the morning of the twenty-ninth quite some ways away from our present location, but not too far. In this time you will set up the camera equipment. It will be recording from all rooms as soon as possible and you will need to monitor those feeds the moment she returns. We are looking for one thing in particular to confirm her identity as the second Kira and to proceed to the next step."

Feeling that L expected a response, Watari said, "You're under the impression that she's in the possession of a Death Note?"

"I am absolutely sure of that fact. However, she will show us where it is. I imagine this will happen very quickly. The following day, in fact. You will arrange for Miss Amane to be invited to dinner with a famous film producer. This will buy you time to go where she has hidden her Death Note and produce a replica of it. You will leave the replica behind the following day, New Year's Eve, and bring the true one here. Please hide it somewhere that I would not find it."

L drew his legs closer, if that were at all possible.

"This will buy you an entire day to make sure that the copy is flawless. Moreover, there is a large segment of time for the switch to be made. Because, you see, Misa Amane will be invited to the floor I share with Light. She will participate in celebratory activities and undoubtedly be distracted by the prospect of being around him."

Watari's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What of Miss Amane's eyes?"

Seemingly unbothered, L went on, "Ah, yes. Her eyes. I was hoping you did not forget."

"If she still has those eyes, as you suspect she did, then she will know your name. This could prove to be –"

"Dangerous? The possibility of me being placed in danger is nearly zero percent. Also, I want her to know my name. That is why I'm inviting her over in the first place."

It took everything for a grimace not to make its way to Watari's face. Never had L been so bold as to give away something which was practically as vital as his life: his name. Every shred of his past had been erased to hide that piece of information, to shield him from those who sought to have _him_ erased. Miss Amane would only serve to be even more of a liability.

L continued, "Assuredly, upon arriving back to her residence, she will write down my name in her notebook. She wants me to die. Or rather, she would have me die to please Kira, to please Light."

A soft and abrupt sigh found its way from his lips. It would have gone unnoticed with the whir of computers at work, processing data. His gaze shifted downward.

"Light is fully aware that he is still in suspicion. What will occur after Misa writes my name will be his final test. It's not to prove his identity of Kira. Like Misa, that fact is almost assured. My primary goal will be to witness his reaction as I die."

Watari fought to keep his voice from rising. L could hear the subdued distress even while staring past the tiles on the floor into nothing.

"As you _die?_"

"Yes. At least, that is how it will appear to Light. I will have on my person that evening a drug, a toxin made from the nectar of the _rhododendron ponticum_, to induce a state outwardly similar to death. Juliet-eqsue, if you will… I'll need you to acquire it and slip it into my underwear drawer." L ratted off his plans, still with that eerie sort of calm. He had barely moved a muscle since sitting as if he were but a statue. "I need you to send to my cell phone two text messages. One will be as soon as the Death Note is in view of the cameras. This will be done with your mobile number that is recognized on my phone. The second will be sent to me the second Misa Amane finishes writing my name on the paper. The second message arriving upon that time is crucial and must be recognized as a different contact on my phone. The contents of both of these messages are inconsequential, however. In fact, it would be best for me not to know what they contain beforehand."

L blinked, his face as blank as ever. The circles beneath his eyes were only more pronounced in the shadows they sat in. "As for Light's reaction to this event, I need it all to be recorded. I will only be able to observe so much as the drug kicks in. I will administer it as soon as I receive the second text. It goes into effect in under a minute, but longer than thirty seconds. It will appear as though I have finally received a heart-attack from Kira. This will be Light's only solution. If not, it will be verified. Immediately he could find suspicion in the messages, but there would be no clues in them. Moreover, the first message from your number would not coincide with the forty second rule of the notebooks. It would easily surpass that amount of time."

"So from what I gather…" Watari finally spoke again, having sorted through the information L had so easily rattled off, "you are certain Light is Kira still, and he would display some sort of reaction to give this away? I'm uncertain if he'd be foolish enough to do such a thing, and how he could confirm that your passing was due to Miss Amane's notebook . Much seems to be left to chance, L."

"No."

L did not shout. There was no anger in his voice, nor was there annoyance. His theories, when challenged, often bred a mild agitation in the detective.

If anything, there was perhaps just a twinge of dejection.

Watari saw before him for a brief flash a young, forlorn boy with wild charcoal hair.

"Light is not aware of the fact that there are cameras in our residence. I have told him that our floor does not for the sake of my safety. Even if he thinks otherwise, it is inconsequential. He will either mourn my passing or revel in it. I want to see into his eyes as he witnesses me slip away. I want to see if he feels any shred of guilt or remorse or…." L paused and frowned. "If he truly cannot feel poorly for any of what he has done, even for just a moment, then he is lost. I will not be able to do any more for him. I sincerely hope he can feel anything at all."

Watari asked, "And if he does?"

"If Light manages to feel any kind of remorse for what he has done, then he will get a second chance. However, I've gotten ahead of myself. I apologize."

Watari kept silent. He did not dare, nor could think of anything, to say. L looked as though he would at any moment curl even further into himself and never come back out. He held the weary eyes of a man with a weight on his shoulders for far too long a time.

A child, and yet a far-aged man. The perfect personification of an enigma.

"Shortly after I succumb to the toxin you will need to retrieve me, despite whatever state Light may be in. He may falsely mourn for me, or he may not; it could very well be sincere. In either case he will be reluctant to hand me over quite so easily. The toxin will wear off without an antidote. I should be able to recover fully in an hour. At most, two. Upon waking I want to view both the footage recorded from when I was administering the toxin and a live feed playing simultaneously. From these I will make my final decision."

L loosened his grip on his legs ever so slightly. His enormous black eyes lifted back up to meet Watari's gaze.

"Is there anything you wish to comment on or ask about? Otherwise, I will be returning to the bedroom. We will not meet again until I am watching that set of videos."

"There is, actually."

L blinked. Behind those eyes, Watari could see his mind processing and determining an explanation before any words had even gotten a chance to leave his mouth. The detective did not make any sound to encourage or discourage him to continue. He remained mute.

Watari's gaze didn't waver from L's penetrating stare.

"Why is Light Yagami worthy of a second chance?"

"I was wondering if you would ask that..." he said softly, almost to himself. "This entire last major effort, despite the incredibly low possibility of error, is still a wager. I do fear that Light has been putting on a tremendous show. It's entirely possible. However, what I fear perhaps even more is returning on New Year's to a grieving Light who would not forgive me.

"As for 'why'…. Well, it may sound incredibly selfish of me, but I can't seem to bring myself to consider handing him over to the authorities. He has a brilliant mind and it would be put to waste. Light is my first friend and –"

"L," Watari interjected softly, "you're not lying to me, that much I can tell. But, you're avoiding the centerpiece of your decision."

"…this is true." Nothing passed over his face.

He said not a word more, only staring back at Watari.

The elder gentleman sighed. "Very well. I did not plan on letting you know, but I have kept the cameras on your level on, despite your wishes."

There was not a single twitch of anything on the detective's face. He hid behind his blank expression like a security blanket.

"I love him."

* * *

_December 31, 10:51 PM_

Senses flooded over L with the paralyzing force of a waterfall. At once his lungs cried for air, as if he'd been drowning. They stung – it had been far too much air, too fast. It was all he could do to control his rapid breathing as he became aware of the terrible cold he felt. Ice water pumped through his veins and there was a thin film of sweat everywhere on his body. Wracked with shivers he curled into himself. Something told him that he was lying on a bed but there was no way to tell; there was darkness all around him. The horror of being in a casket flashed through his still-hazy thoughts. He groped in the nothing but failed to touch anything at all. There was no sound except his own shaking breaths.

He managed to push himself into a sitting position but his arms still wrapped securely around his legs.

And then a weight settled itself on his shoulders. He felt for whatever it was and felt the warm cloth of a blanket or quilt. All too eagerly he pulled it around his frame, desperate to shake off the chill of near-death. L could acutely feel the blanket's stitching and so he thought of Light. Perhaps he'd merely woken in the middle of the night and it was still pitch-black, then Light gave him a blanket. The stars wouldn't be glowing anymore but they could turn on Animal Planet again and…

L turned his head to look over his shoulder but mist was still in his eyes. He could faintly see the image of a man, but it wasn't Light. He could hear their voice. Watari.

"L, are you all right? Thank god you're awake…"

L attempted to respond to him but not even a hoarse whisper could pass his lips. His throat felt raw, as if he hadn't had anything to drink in days. But before he could scarcely register it a glass was brought to his lips and it seemed blessedly cool. He drank greedily. It tasted better than any tea or coffee.

He knew he'd been sitting and shivering for some time, but the cold began to dissipate and blobs of color floated in and out of view. He sat there, quiet, with his blanket wrapped tightly and wide eyes blinking constantly. The dark had never been so horrifying and he wanted to be rid of it at once.

There were more soft sounds around L. Watari walked some distance away, his shoes against the tile floor. He used a knife to cut something; the metal hit against a plate twice. The elderly man returned and set what L assumed to be a slice of cake close to where he sat, the fork sliding around with a brief scraping groan. Yet he did not touch it.

It happened without warning. Somewhere between knowing his lungs ached less and less and feeling his body draw in some feeble warmth he had suddenly realized why he woke up at an inscrutable hour in the dark with only Watari for company. Light thought he was dead. And so in a flash L threw to the side his blanket, feet on the ground, and scrambled for a chair in front of a wall of glowing screens. In his haste a foot brushed over a glob of cake icing and he left a few partial footprints on his way to a chair.

He gripped the edge of the table tightly to keep himself steady. Dizziness made the world spin.

"When…" he rasped, trying to find his voice, "when did I begin to feel the full effects of the drug?"

Watari responded at once.

"Approximately at twenty forty-six. It's currently twenty-two fifty-eight."

L brought a shaky hand from the table to rub his temple. Blurry images still floated and he tried to keep back thinking of what he thought he would see. And so it was a moment before he responded, "In that case, please divide up the screens into eight different groups. The first group will display the feed from all of the cameras on my floor from twenty forty-six to twenty-one six, the second from twenty-one six to twenty-one twenty-six, and so on in twenty minute intervals to the present time of twenty-two fifty-eight. The last group will be real time."

"Very well."

Watari's footsteps advanced toward him. The blanket and the plate of cake returned. He felt the weight of it settle on his shoulders once more. He decided to stare at the cake, which he could now perceive just barely as a soft yellow vanilla, until he could see the fine details of each crumb. L dreaded bringing his gaze up to the screen. No matter how much or how little Kira lived in Light anymore, nothing on the cameras could make him happy.

He drew the blanket tighter. Minutes passed, heavier than they should have been, and he lifted his eyes to the waiting screens. One finger pressed _play_.

* * *

_December 31  
11:45 PM_

Light slept now, but not as he usually did. When the older footage had run through L remained transfixed to the screens showing the live feed. Their bedroom was varying shades of green; the door stayed shut and so there was darkness, but he could still see Light. Light and the bear. He held it in his sleep with a sort of desperation, as if it would turn into smoke once he let it go. L had been held by Light like that before, the city lights not quite able to creep into their window and into the bedroom.

But the first few feeds burned in his mind, and though they had long since been done playing still flashed through his vision, as if the final breaths of nightmares when he woke.

He could hardly remember the first scene, feeling more like an outsider than the person on the recordings. L left Light in the living room to go to the kitchen. He reached high to open a cupboard door, on the tips of his toes, and it swung open. The camera barely showed the corner of the box of sugar cubes, placed before even the snack cakes and cocoa mix. And yet he didn't grab for it. A hand still held onto the edge of the counter while the other reached for something in his pocket instead. The two pills he'd found between folded underwear were thrown in his mouth and he poured sugar cubes into a bowl. As soon as he let go of the counter he fell.

That portion of recordings cut off before Watari finally came, and so the kitchen's feed remained frozen on the monitors. Light kept stroking his hair, not knowing what else to do. L's eyes wandered occasionally from the other scenes and always found him staring at that one. He'd look away, though, when he realized what he was doing. His chest ached so he kept his knees against his body, holding himself together.

Misa was animated when she came but Light was not. The bone-white Shinigami loomed over them both. Light received a notebook from Misa's shaking hands. She left, only having stood before her beloved Light for scarcely three minutes. The ghastly figure followed through the slammed door and again Light was left alone.

He'd never touched the cake. L watched Light unravel from any angle he could possibly desire. He hid in the chair with the blanket around him, burdened with knowing he made what he now saw. Only fifteen minutes remained of the year and all the feeds had long since finished playing, save the last group. Light still slept with the bear. L sat in a cold chair floors away. He'd seen Light sleep before – many nights, in fact. L found himself constantly glancing over and spent time – always more than he intended to – watching him sleep. He was lovely. But now he had to watch him through the eyes of a camera, unable to reach out and touch the copper strands of his hair or his cheek. Light didn't stretch out, serene in his sleep, but instead curled into himself and hid from the bedroom, from the cold.

Watari's voice came suddenly, though L made no sign of being surprised. His dark eyes stayed on the screens.

"L, it's nearly time." He stood a few feet away, L surmised. The same voice he always heard.

His gaze lingered on Light as his bare feet returned to the floor, hands resting on the edge of the desk as if wary of losing his balance. His legs were still weak but his arms dropped to his sides, making his way to the door. Watari put something into his arms and he took it. A glass bottle, nearly too weighty. Already the door had been opened for him and the light of the hallway spilled into the dark room. His feet carried him out as he held the bottle to his chest. The door closed with a soft click behind him and he wandered down the long hall, lost.

* * *

_January 1  
12:02 AM_

Light's knees buckled beneath him almost immediately, barely getting a feeble hold on the wall. His strangled scream died quickly on his lips, replaced by fast heaves of air in and out of his lungs. His mind kept reeling at what he had seen, knowing how impossible, how horribly impossible it could've been. Eyes pressed tightly together, he feared looking back out into the hall to see nothing more than the sight that had greeted him. It couldn't be. It _couldn't_ be.

As soon as he'd opened the door just a hair, just enough for a single eye, he came face to face with a haunted, starless-black eye. Everything had turned silent in that moment and froze, _Watched Night_ suspended.

Light's heart pounded in his head. He told himself that he had to be dreaming still, or his mind had conjured some cruel hallucination. Grief and panic rushed all the way down to his fingertips. They trembled holding the fur of the bear. He willed the image away, those eyes staring into him, but didn't dare open his own.

_Watched Night_ returned to its steady rhythm, as if a droning bass drum. He could only hear it and his own breathing. The door didn't creak open or closed. There were no footsteps. He settled his body onto the floor with his back to the wall and the bear to his heart. Eternities passed between tolls. He kept his eyes shut.

There was a soft sound, air moving. Maybe it was the air through the vents. It couldn't be anything else. He was alone in the building and Watari was floors away. Watari was with L. L couldn't be standing on the other side of the door.

A soft voice crept into the hall from where the door stood and his heart ached to hear it.

"Light, please let me in…"

He pressed his mouth into the bear's soft fur, afraid that he would scream again but only a choked sound came from deep in his chest. He tried to count the number of times the low bell chimed. Light's frayed mind lost count more than once. Why did he have to hear that voice again? He feared that the dream, the hallucination, the phantom on the other side would call to him again and yet he wanted to drink in the sound if only to trick himself into believing he was really there for a moment. When none came he spoke out into the air, not daring to look. He could barely hear himself over his own heartbeat.

"You're not…real. You can't be." His voice trembled, struggling to coax out words. "I saw you _die_."

He prayed he wouldn't hear him again, that he would wake up. He remembered those eyes in the kitchen and he couldn't bear to see them in the doorway. He was alone. L was dead.

But L's voice returned, painted with soft desperation.

"Light, please, let me in. I'm here, outside the door."

"_No_," Light heard himself say at once, and shocked he paused before he could find what little of a voice he had still. "You can't be. It's impossible. Your name, it got written down. You died."

"Light –"

"_Just_-…stop. It's not you. Not really."

L's fingers ghosted next to the doorknob but didn't dare touch it, as if afraid to be burned. He could see only a sliver of Light. He wanted nothing more than to beg to be let in so he could just touch him, to confirm that he wasn't worlds away on a television screen. The degree of his vulnerability, something he never imagined to see in Light Yagami, threatened to frighten him. But true to Light's request he kept his lips together and watched from the hall.

Light's breathing, an erratic thing, seemed loud in the present silence.

"You have to be a ghost," Light said suddenly, his panic subdued into more of a whisper. "I would have thought…I would have thought that of all people, Misora would have been able to. She didn't so…so then maybe it meant dying by the note meant that you couldn't come back as a ghost. You would, though. You won't give up on this for anything, will you?"

He harshly inhaled, as if robbed for breath.

"Shit, I…I never even wanted this anymore. Do you even get to know that now? You probably got some kind of divine debriefing; you've always known more than I expected. Always. I never, never would have wanted to have admitted it to myself. But _why didn't you do anything about it?_ You could have saved yourself from this, from _me_."

Light moved his trembling fingers into his hair and thought of L's. His stomach clenched more, twisted countless times already.

"Did you really love me so much that you let this happen…so…_I_ was the lucky one? I'm sorry, but I'm not really feeling too fucking lucky right now. How could you-" Light felt pain in his scalp from his fingernails, but it was nothing compared to the things steeping inside of him finding their way to his lips. The bear in his lap stared patiently. "I should have said something. I should have realized sooner…not now. Not when it's damned useless."

He shifted his gaze from the black button eyes to the carpet. They were too familiar.

"Did you know too, L, that only until after you died did I realize that I loved you?" Patterns twisted in the carpet and it was beginning to make him feel dizzy. His head felt heavy, his everything felt heavy. "Some timing."

L finally realized his tightening grip on the smooth neck of the champagne bottle in his hand and his own need for air. He couldn't stand his own silence any longer; his fears and guilt festered when he thought he could see more and more that Light was unraveling. L's face was stone.

Carefully into the quiet L spoke, "Light, I would like for you to listen to me for just one moment."

The boy's whole body tensed and looked as though he fought not to look to the door, to where he was. Light didn't utter a word.

"I want you to try something for me. You'll need your Death Note and the television in the living room."

A low, sad sort of laugh rattled from him.

"Christ, I can't get rid of it…even you…"

"Light, please…"

"_Fine_, after that what do you want? Carry on with judgment of the wicked, the scum? Is that what you want me to do?" He let his arms drop to carefully wrap around the stuffed bear. It returned to his chest. "It's what I do best."

"Only one name," L replied, even softer. "Just one. That's all I ask."

"Any particulars, then? I aim to please."

"No. Turn on the TV. The first person you see with a name. That's all."

However, Light made no signs that he would move. He sat so still but even from the small glimpse the crack afforded L he could she a storm just beneath the skin. Light's composure had long since disintegrated, a thing which he had constantly tended. It could slip in those times when L forgot his own side of the bedroom or when he tasted those lips, but now he had left it someplace else. He felt as though he were watching a phantom of the young man he'd woken next to.

Perhaps that was all that was left anymore. Yet he banished the thought and forced memories of any other day back to the surface. Some were as smooth and fleeting as pearls of glass, rolling into the crevices and shadows to hide from him. He dared not look away from Light. Light was there, mere feet away, and he willed his tired mind to remember him perfectly.

Light's anger calmed but his weariness fell on him again.

"What does all of this mean? What's this supposed to do?"

"Once you do this, I promise to tell you."

Light's thumb moved across a velveteen ear on the bear. He looked elsewhere, past the walls and did nothing else. L waited. The perspiration from the chilled champagne licked the skin on his hand. He supposed he could drop it but he put out any thoughts of moving, as if it would make Light flee and thus ruin it all. He felt the moments drip away, sliding off his fingers and onto the ground. L held more tightly onto the neck.

Eyes closed, Light let his head fall back to rest on the wall.

Words, nearly too soft for L to hear, crept into the silence. They reached from somewhere L had never seen, always guarded, perhaps forgotten by Light himself.

"I don't think you've ever really promised anything to me."

Gently he set the bear down on the floor, propped up by the wall as he was. A hand returned to straighten it, tilted to the side just slightly. It hovered above the soft head and then drew back to his empty lap. "Fine."

Neither spoke. The request, perhaps the challenge, slowly poured a concoction of anxiety into the air. L certainly felt it slither across his still-clammy skin and wondered if it had any effect on the boy retreating from him down the hall. Hardwood turned to carpet and he couldn't hear the footsteps any longer, as if he vanished. Past feeling foolish for doing so L strained to hear anything to extinguish that gnawing thought. The very concept was impossible, and laughably so. Light couldn't vanish. And yet he dismissed once upon a time the very notion of gods of death.

Humans could die so suddenly but they never just _vanished_.

He nearly forgot he was holding the champagne bottle in his hand; the muscles and bones in that hand ached but he kept it there.

A sound came so suddenly that L's mind distinguished its arrival with considerable delay, shaken from his thoughts. He analyzed it mercilessly, frantically, as it reached his ears; a male voice, though not Light's. The soft and nearly imperceptible white noise of a running television lurked under it all. No drama in it, it was professional. A news reporter. A word or two drifted down the hall, soft and timid like a wary child, and L still tried to hear anything else at all – "Kira" passed a stranger's lips – but there was only the living room television.

L had no watch but his own sense of time had always been accurate. Twenty seconds had passed as if days. Still-fresh memories of December mornings flitted through, filled with images of Light breathing into a pillow with tousled hair. They reminded him of what he would lose, those passing everyday moments filled with seconds that passed so much more quickly. Had Light mourned the end of those sorts of things? The man on the news continued his report uninterrupted. Thirty seconds.

Ever since the clock struck midnight each television set had been turned on, focused almost exclusively on the major news channels. Watari provided statistics not long ago. Sakura TV's viewers eclipsed all others. He suspected they were the only ones eagerly waiting an anonymous phone call, untraceable and thrilling. It wouldn't come. Whatever channel Light had chosen had nothing of the theatrics, that much he could tell. They felt the tension, too.

L's stomach lurched when his own countdown ended.

Light would know. Light was wounded terribly and hardly himself. The detective could imagine that face smeared with anger, with betrayal. He could not ever prepare himself to close the door on Light's hate and walk back down the hall alone, to hide in the dark of the surveillance room with cake and Watari. Yet he pretended he could handle it when the time came. If the time came.

He froze entirely and tightened his forgetful grip on the glass bottle as he heard a pair of hurried feet. L kept his face that slipped on with familiarity, showing nothing beneath the surface. The sound grew louder, a bump into the wall along the way, and before he could scarcely blink a trembling hand grabbed the edge of the door. More emotions flashed across Light's face looking out into the hall than L could begin to calculate, but the wary hope in those frantic eyes caught him.

L stared soundlessly while Light's mouth opened, struggling to find words.

Light's words came, tense and hushed, though he still couldn't understand what he saw or what he had seen. Those eyes never left him.

"How…how are you _here?_" He took in a shaking breath; words fled from him.

Carefully, ever so carefully, he opened the door a bit more to better see what he had thought was a figment in the hall. It stayed and did not disappear. L did not disappear. The silence weighed more and more on the young man in between the two hallways. But just when Light feared that no answer would come at all a cool hand came to rest on his cheek and a pair of lips met his own. L's smell, the feel of his touch, and everything else that he had become so familiar with flooded over him and he suddenly knew how real the person kissing him was. No dreams or hallucinations could have been so vivid or so cruel. Eager, he drank in those lips cared for nothing else.

All he could focus on was having L again, to pull him closer and shut the door, to have him all to himself. Light's hands released the door and reached out to where L stood, wanting to bury his fingers in his inky black hair and draw him inside. But as he felt the detective lean toward him, surely to make a step forward, he drew away from the kiss and hadn't left the empty outside hallway. His hand lingered, though, on Light's cheek and his face hadn't traveled far. Light could feel L's warm breath, as ragged as his own.

He parted his lips to speak but L's voice was swifter.

"May I come in, Light?"

Light nearly wanted to laugh but it only came out as a short exhale. "You have to ask?"

"Yes. Tradition and all that."

"Christ, L…" Still hungry for touch, Light moved closer and let a hand fall to his side and gingerly take L's. The other man naturally accepted the touch and held it securely; the simplicity of it nearly distracted Light entirely. "Yes, you may."

"Do lead the way."

Before turning and starting back to the hall Light's gaze lingered a second more on L's face. The part of him that was ceaselessly calculating and observing noticed how L appeared to have taken on a somewhat sickly color; his skin, normally what he thought of as a shade of porcelain looked more translucent. He was tired. And yet in those eyes of his he saw something similar to the sad sort of love L had before in the luxury car floors below – had it been only a day ago? – but instead of sadness he swore there was something else. Something guarded. Certainly Light couldn't get over the fact that L stood before him, breathing and blessedly alive. The swirling confusion still hadn't left, his mind felt spent from the hours stretching behind him, and above all he felt happier than he could remember.

L quietly closed the door behind them as they walked down the hallway to the living room. The sound of the television reached Light's ears again and grounded him from his haze of joy all too suddenly.

L's name was in the notebook, assuming it was his real name and Misa was not mistaken. The notebook failed to have killed both L and the reporter on the screen. L's heartbeat had stopped in the kitchen. L hid something from him. He was already putting pieces together, turning them this way and that, and so he was surprised when they already reached the living room.

He became startled when he felt L's hand draw away. With quiet curiosity he watched as L walked past, not even glancing at the television screen as he went directly to the coffee table. The Death Note rested directly in the center, open. His pen was hastily dropped beside it and still uncapped. L set down his champagne bottle and it made a soft click as it touched the hard surface. He peered down at the ink on the page, face impassive, and within a second or so he began to reach for the pages – and he stopped.

Light watched without a word. The detective waited another moment, as if waiting for any sign of protest, but when none came his spindly fingers touched the lined paper and he went back a single page. Light knew what was on it without needing to bother to look. It was the page he'd refused to write upon, the one that had on it Misa's feminine scrawl. But L only seemed to glance at it for a second before gently closing the notebook.

He went to take his seat on the couch, sitting precariously on an end cushion. L's large eyes traveled back to Light's. Light kept the gaze as he went to take his own place beside L. He set his hands on his knees and drew in a breath. The detective made no move to interrupt him.

His words were fluid and soft, betraying nothing at all. "Did you have the fake notebook made and given to Misa?"

"Yes."

Light allowed confusion to return to his face, eyebrows furrowed. There was little use in pretending.

"If you did that, then you expected her to use it and – "

"Light."

"What happened?" Light couldn't keep his voice quite so low anymore. "What happened at the party? In the kitchen? All this month, maybe? I could guess at how long you've been planning whatever this is, or was. But whatever it aimed to do, I…I don't really like the answers I'm coming up with…"

Something told Light, deep in the recesses of his fears that spawned with Kira, that this was the end. That familiar paranoia whispered that perhaps L would have gone this far to finish him. That he would bring himself to love Light just to bring down Kira, if that was what it took. Though in everything he shared with L there had been nothing he suspected to be false. How he, in those times when he succumbed to sleep at night, clung to Light and those dark lashes covered the bags beneath his eyes. When he smiled at him in the dark of the lighthouse.

L's voice remained neutral and he had not moved. "If you will let me, I will explain it to you. All of it. I just ask for no interruptions."

Light paused to stare into L's eyes. The gaze was still returned, unwavering.

"I'll listen."

"Good." L folded his arms across his knees and rested his chin on them, making his body appear even more curled up. He looked musingly at some spot in the room, as if sorting his thoughts like they were a stack of uneven papers. "Please forgive me if I sound callous throughout. It's necessary. For a while, at least.

"Days ago – the twenty-ninth, to be exact – I visited Watari during the late hours of the night. I made certain not to wake you with the use of a mild sedative in your tea. You would fail to notice as it set in and when you woke the next morning. That night I would set in motion a plan that I had been shaping days before that. The first objective was to plant numerous video cameras within Misa's residence. The second was to switch her Death Note with a fake, created by Watari. Misa was out on both occasions, one purposefully arranged for my purposes and the other purely coincidental.

"Misa knew fully well Kira's goal: to kill L. I supplied her with that opportunity, to acquire my name. As the second Kira with eyes granting her the ability to read anyone's name this would be an easy task. She would – and did – this unwaveringly for you. As soon as she arrived home she took out her Death Note to write my name. She was correct in spelling it, by the way."

L looked down at his toes. Light still remained motionless and hung on every word.

"As soon as she did bring out her notebook I received an alert from Watari on my phone. The second came in the kitchen when Misa began to write, again from Watari but with another number entirely. That signaled me to consume two pills containing a toxin from the plant _rhododendron ponticum_. They produced a state identical to death, slowing my heartbeat and breathing to indistinguishable lows. I would venture even if you were a doctor you would have declared me legally dead. Watari's vital sensors picked up on my distress and he came to acquire me. I awoke shortly before eleven o'clock at night. Once the lingering side-effects wore-off sufficiently I attended to watching the security footage on our floor. I had instructed Watari before not to plant such devices but he did so anyway, as I expected. I watched until ten or so before midnight but I was at your door at the strike of twelve. Though in regards to the goal of all of this…I needed to see your reaction."

L brought his large black eyes to rest on Light and met a perfectly unreadable face. His eyes, however, told a different story. L had come to the assumption that no one else could see Light's eyes as astutely as he could, for no matter how hard the young man fought to keep his control there had always been something flashing in them. As soon as he saw flickers of anxiety L drew his sight away. He kept his arms securely wrapped atop his knees, bringing himself to continue.

"As you know well, I've firmly believed you to be Kira for as long as we have known each other. Despite this there was no sufficient evidence, none at all, to link you to that name. Of course now I have recorded footage that would more than certainly prove your guilt, but it's no simple matter of getting the evidence to throw you in prison or whatever Interpol would choose. Your reaction was not just important to the case, but to me; personally, that is. I wanted to see how twisted you had become. I wanted to see if you were capable of feeling anything at all for my passing. You did."

Images of the kitchen returned to L. He pursed his lips into a thin line and listened to Light's carefully measured breaths for a moment. Peace seemed to hang on a feeble thread. His voice returned, not as level and practiced as he had hoped, but quieter.

"I could never apologize enough for what had to transpire. Though had you reveled in your victory as Kira would, concerned only with your success, I would not have met you at the door. My orders to Watari were if I deemed you incapable of remorse, of anything at all, that he would call the police at once and Interpol shortly afterward. Case closed. But that didn't happen, and so we are both in check." L turned his head to Light again, watching as he processed the mass of information that he was given with brutal efficiency. L couldn't ever tire of it. But he made his lips move again, eager to lay out the board. "You have my name and I evidence against you. One cannot move against the other without himself being in danger of having his king taken. A more favorable set of circumstances, I would say. Oh, and you may speak. I am, for the most part, finished."

But Light did not respond immediately. He had never once throughout tore his gaze away from L, nor had he broken his agreement of silence. L felt his toes curl into the plush cushion below him as the silence hung in the air. The television was just as good as off; not a single word from the news reporter registered. L pondered for a moment how the man would never know how close he had been from dying on national television. Dying by Kira's hand.

Light's words finally came to him, soft yet not a whisper. His face still betrayed little but his eyes desperately searched L's, hungry for an answer.

"Was there any chance that you could have actually died?"

L regarded him a moment before speaking. He said calmly and with the same low volume, "Yes."

A frown tried to tug at the corners of Light's lips but he kept it at bay.

"I see."

L glanced at the TV remote that sat on the coffee table. He contemplated turning off the set but he felt reluctant to move from his perch on the couch, when things still felt fragile. Light knew he still had more to say on the matter and so he wouldn't release his tension or the emotions he kept from reaching the surface. There were other pieces still to play and he was not entirely sure how L would move his.

"Light, I –" L began, stopping briefly but continued with the same cool manner, "I have two more main items of interest. The first is…an adjustable ultimatum. Though I have examined a Death Note myself, I cannot fully outline how the ultimatum should work until I am aware of what role your shinigami plays. It would be foolish to assume that it would be the same as the one I had met before."

"Ryuk." Light said it with some bitterness. "And you're right; he's nothing like Rem. He cares very little for human affairs, especially mine. He only volunteers information if it suits him. The only reason that he left the shinigami realm was to find some 'amusement.' And so if he fails to find me amusing or interesting, if he grows bored, then he plans to write my name in his Death Note."

"So Kira cannot give up totally his mission without dying himself. I was hoping things would not be quite like that, but…it can be managed." L brought a thumb to his mouth and toyed with his bottom lip. "Very well. Then it goes as follows: In order for us to proceed from this point you must agree to work jointly with me for an indefinite amount of time. I dislike the notebook, to put it lightly, but it appears we can't just lock it away and hope 'Ryuk' doesn't notice that you've been neglecting it. Though not every case is dealt with on computer screens and perhaps this will appeal to him. At times you will do field work. It would also be wise to learn a thing or two from Watari's typical duties; there may come a day when I may need you for that, to do what he does. But keep in mind that if you agree to these terms, your ties to home and potentially your family will disintegrate. This lifestyle is nothing short of dangerous. "

"Well, then." Light shifted his position, moving an arm to rest on the back of the chair. "I'll agree to your terms."

L turned to look at the young man beside him, eyes wide and fixed. Most of the horrors he had imagined would occur vanished just like that, as soon as the words left Light's mouth. Light agreed to a truce, peace, a partnership. Even though he had been confident that Light wouldn't reject his offer, he couldn't help but to stare in a silent sort of wonder from the situation. Light continued to talk and so L listened on, distracted from what he'd planned to bring up next.

"I'm sure you know as well as I that this won't bring an end to the Death Note killings. Excluding Ryuk's, three Death Notes have entered the human realm. I feel confident in venturing that nothing like this has happened before, and the likelihood that more will appear is a very real possibility. Chance brought them all to the same country; they could spring up anywhere and there's no telling how many Shinigami and notebooks exist. There's more to the notebooks than what it says in the rules, and I've picked up things about shinigami themselves. I'll provide whatever assistance in that area that you require and…" Light paused and glanced at his wrist, the one which still rested on his lap. He looked fixedly at the time, contemplating something, before resuming. "I need you to be able to see and hear Ryuk. But before I do, there's something I need _you_ to promise me."

L blinked his eyes, curious. Highly curious, to be truthful.

"And what would that be?"

Any trace of ease or relief that managed to creep into Light's face was swept away, replaced instead with a solemn look. L felt frozen by the look and so he became startled when he felt the warmth of Light's hand take one of his again. Light inhaled a whispery breath to speak again, tightening ever so slightly his grip on L's thin fingers.

"Never write a name on paper from a Death Note." He brought his other hand to again rest on L's cheek, as if to reaffirm to himself that he was real. "Please."

L replied almost at once, saying softly, "I promise."

Light released a sigh and his shoulders slackened a bit. With reluctance he drew both hands away from L's skin and switched his attention back to his wristwatch. He pressed in the small knob on the side with a practiced touch; a click sounded and suddenly the watch was no longer as innocent as a gift from his father. Between two fingers Light pulled out a small, folded square of notebook paper and held it between himself and L. L did nothing other than observe the paper and Light, which made Light speak up again.

"All you have to do is touch it; you don't need the whole notebook to see a shinigami. A single finger should be fine. Ryuk's not in here, at least not now, so it'll be as if nothing really happened." Light kept his hand steadily holding it, one of his final secrets.

A careful hand reached out from L, poking the piece of notebook paper only for a fraction of a section before drawing back. His large eyes scanned what he could see of the room without turning his head but, as Light had said, there were no monsters to be seen lurking around. Light meanwhile carefully placed the folded square back into the back of his wristwatch, sliding it closed securely. It weighed on his wrist more than it should have now. They returned to looking to each other again, laying down plans while feeling the unforgiving grip of the past twenty-four hours around their necks. Light caught himself again and again being shocked at how so easily L sat there across from him, poking at his lip with a thumb, breathing. Alive.

The question that had been burning a hole in the pit of Light's stomach finally surfaced.

"Why didn't you come sooner?"

L's mouth formed a straight line. He held himself closely, as he had before.

"Don't make the mistake to think that I didn't want to come sooner. No, as soon as I had any coherence in my mind and I could remember what had happened…" L's chin rested against his chest, face partially buried by his arms. There still seemed to be that strange divider between them, transparent. Light had crossed it once, yes, but the moment had been all too brief. L continued softly, "But, there was the security footage. I had to be sure, absolutely certain, in my decision. That, and I found that it's customary for the visitor in the First-Foot Day tradition to arrive at the stroke of midnight. They tend also to have dark hair, a tad bit tall, and bringing a gift…"

L's gaze passed over the bottle of champagne for a moment. Light's face became troubled again by a look of confusion, and so L saw fit to continue. Some of the darkness had left his voice. His arms became more lax, sliding down from his knees to encircle more his shins.

"It's more of North English or Scottish folklore, to be truthful. And, coincidentally, our flight destination is England…"

Still trying to register L's words, Light replied hesitantly, "Flight destination…? Excuse me?"

"Why yes. We are scheduled to leave in approximately an hour for the London airport. You won't be needing a passport or any documentation like that, don't worry." L paused to take in the processing occurring in Light's mind, his eyes flashing all sorts of emotions and keeping together feebly his controlled visage. L continued on in his seemingly casual tone, as if it were any other day. "After all, I've come to understand that it's often wise to take a vacation after a vacation. Ours in particular seems to have been especially taxing and warrants another break especially. Wouldn't you say so, Light?"

"We're going to England?"

"Yes."

"Tonight."

"Well, yes. Though you could debate that it's early morning."

"We're leaving today and everyone is waiting for something to happen. Just like that."

"No, there is a last matter of business for the both of us before we get packing. I do agree that without some response from Kira, things could become…messy." L lazily stretched an arm to grab the champagne bottle on the coffee table and read some of the script on the label passingly. "Eventually there's the matter of addressing Interpol about this shift in affairs. But, that doesn't need to be so soon. All we need now is a video from Kira to calm the masses a bit without promoting any unnecessary paranoia or violence. That's all."

"Okay, while I understand and agree to issuing this new video…" Light's eyebrows had become considerably furrowed again and he made some feeble, sweeping gesture with a hand. "What does this vacation entail? Why England, of all places?"

Fluidly, in a single motion, L shifted his body to better face Light. Rather than balancing on the balls of his feet and curled protectively he had folded beneath him his legs, as if he had gone to sit at pray at one of the temples. It made them close, as close as they had been in between the two hallways and Light could feel L's breath tickle his skin. He couldn't find his voice again and could only watch L with wide eyes. The detective searched his face for a moment.

"There is one more thing I'd like to ask." L's fingers twitched on his lap, though he stayed completely still otherwise. Light similarly made no move, only able to stare. This prompted L to continue, softly, "Was it true what you said to me before you would let me in? That you loved me?"

Sadness –that confession came alone on the couch, memories from a crinkled candy wrapper – passed through Light's amber eyes, his mouth just slightly parting to speak. His reply came barely above a whisper.

He had his chance now. His heart was beating madly; how couldn't L hear it, being so close?

"Yes." Light swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry and mind unbelieving of it all. He forced himself to manage more, to say the one thing that he ached to expel from his chest but feared more than anything. L appeared suspended and so Light said, "I love you."

Scarcely after he saw something spark in those enormous dark eyes was L upon him. He felt his back and head collide onto the couch cushions below. L's legs were on either side of him and a mouth quickly met his own, kissing him with a longing that sent shivers through his body. Light was quick to respond to it. Somewhere between snaking his arms around L's back and kissing him hungrily, he realized that nothing could have compared to how he felt in that moment. L had so brutally been whisked away, leaving Light with regret that drowned him, filling his lungs with cold water. And here he was again, warm and alive, and they were in love. He didn't care to ever leave the couch again. L's shirt, terribly mussed, had traveled up his back and his soft skin brushed Light's fingertips. L felt the jolt of the sensation and kissed Light all the more deeply. Light wanting nothing more than to feel more, touching the vertebrae of L's spine beneath that skin when –

Unmercifully, Light's cell phone rang. Answering it hardly seemed appealing and so he begged that L would dismiss the disturbance as well, but he was not so lucky. Too quickly L drew away from Light, Light's cell phone already fished out of his pocket and against L's ear. Light shot him an incredulous look but he only received a pointing index finger, signaling for him to be quiet.

There was some talk on the other end, then L responded with an air of normalcy, "Oh, hello Yagami-san. Your son is currently occupied so I took the liberty of answering his phone. Is there something you'd like for me to relay to him?" L paused and listened to Soichiro's response, a hand resting on Light's chest. "Oh, yes. I'll certainly tell him that you and your family wanted to wish him a happy New Year's. I extend the same wishes to the Yagami household. However, there is some items of interest that I'd like to discuss with you before you return to the festivities."

Light sighed. L noticed the look he was receiving and, with a hand carefully covering the cell's microphone, bent down to place a trail of kisses up Light's neck. He only stopped when he reached Light's jawbone, moving his hand from the phone to place a finger on Light's lips.

"Yes, yes. Since it is finally January we can begin to discuss the Kira case again." L contemplatively trailed his finger from Light's lips and slowly down his neck. "However, Light-kun and I will be out of the country for two weeks or so. Feel free to use the investigation headquarters while we are out. I'll be in correspondence, of course."

Light shivered at the feather-light touch, eyes scarcely open. He could, though, still hear his father's voice shouting into L's ear. L pulled the device a few inches away and listened from that distance a short while before bringing it back to his ear to interrupt Soichiro.

"Please calm down, Yagami-san. Light-kun will be extremely safe. This is, in fact, to assure his and my safety. There have been break-throughs in my investigating that has made our present location…undesirable. You and the rest of the force are entirely in the clear, however. I will have an email sent to you within the next hour or two. Happy New Year's." And with a click L silenced the phone, making sure to hold down the end call button to turn it off entirely.

"There," he said, setting the cell phone of the coffee table and then turning his gaze back to Light. "Now would you care for some quality champagne, packing luggage, or – "

Before L got the chance to list their options, Light pulled him back down for a kiss. Light's fingers dove into L's dark hair and kept him close.

* * *

Dressed from head to toe in scarves, coats, and warm gloves, the pair entered the small jet stationed in the Tokyo airport's private section. Every inch of their bodies was peppered with snowflakes from the still ruthless winter weather. L was first to shed his coat and shake the offending snow from his black hair. Watari passed by, having closed the door securely, and went to station himself within the cockpit. Light set his own coat across the same row of seats L unceremoniously tossed his, humored by the fact that L ridding himself of snow looked like a cat that had accidentally fallen into a bathtub and crawled back out, eager to get dry again. Their suitcases had already been loaded on and their only items of they brought with them had been L's sturdy laptop case.

L motioned surveyed the seats available – there were ten or so rows, all of which were empty on L's personal jet – and brought the case with him to the third row from the front. He raised every armrest except the one on the side of the aisle, then motioned for Light to enter first. Light complied and went to seat himself near the window, rubbing his weary eyes. He had never been a night owl and it was past one in the morning, not to mention the toll of the most recent events…

Once he'd become situated, L sat some distance away. At once he set the laptop case on his lap, popped open the lid, and had procured the blue Snuggie he received for Christmas. He folded the thing into what perhaps resembled a pillow and set it beside him. While he took out his computer and had it plugged into an outlet he cast Light a curious look.

"In all honesty Light, you should try to get some sleep." He pressed the power button with a single finger and better adjusted his screen. "You're very obviously exhausted and staying up would serve little purpose on this long flight. I'll be using this time to email those officials who associate themselves with Interpol for our next meeting and several heads of office from different nations. Despite my typing proficiency, it's going to be a long and tedious process."

Light covered his mouth, fighting off a yawn. It proved unsuccessful but once it had passed he managed, "Yeah, I guess so… Wake me up when we're close?"

"But of course."

"Thanks."

Light noticed finally how L calculated very well the length of seats that would be needed for him to rest comfortably, and so he adjusted himself accordingly. The tips of his toes just barely touched the wall of the aircraft, his head directly on the makeshift Snuggie pillow. It smelled faintly of L and Light wondered if during those early mornings he'd used it at all, since he couldn't ever recall having seen him don the ridiculous thing. Though before he closed his eyes and sought sleep, he gazed up at L's focused face. It was only a moment before L switched his attention to see if Light had dozed off or not, already in the middle of his first email.

"Is something the matter, Light?"

"Yeah, but…" Light frowned slightly. "You will still be there when I wake up, won't you?"

L gaze softened a bit. He reached down with a hand to place a few fingers below Light's chin, aligning his face better so he could lean down and place a brief kiss on his lips.

"I'll still be here, Light. Goodnight."

Light eventually let his eyes droop closed and within five minutes he was soundly asleep. As L would type away on his laptop, bathed in the glow of the bright screen, he would occasionally take breaks from the monotony and watch Light's form slumber beside him. He let a hand drop down and stroke his auburn hair, careful not to wake him with the gentlest of touches. Forty-five minutes ago the video with Kira's message to the public had aired nationally and eventually internationally, but with every passing moment he regarded the beauty of Light so close next to him it all seemed more infinitely farther away.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the lovely reviews! As always, let me know what you thought. I'll be at work on the Epilogue now which will be very, very fun indeed. :) Be on the lookout! I'll try to get it up before I drag myself back into school on the third of January.


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